Calcium dobesilate ameliorates hepatorenal injury induced by carbon tetrachloride in mice.

Objectives: Calcium dobesilate (CaD) has anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-apoptotic effects. In this study, the protective effects of CaD against hepatorenal damage induced by carbon tetrachloride (CCl) in mice were evaluated.

Materials And Methods: Thirty male mice were randomly divided into five groups: Control, CaD 100 mg/kg, CCl, CCl+CaD 50 mg/kg, and CCl+CaD 100 mg/kg. CaD (50 and 100 mg/kg) was administered orally once a day for 4 weeks. The liver and kidney indices (serum creatinine, blood urine nitrogen, alanine aminotransferase, and aspartate aminotransferase levels) were determined. Also, liver and kidney tissue oxidant/anti-oxidant markers (glutathione peroxidase, malondialdehyde, total anti-oxidant capacity, and superoxide dismutase) were measured. Cleaved caspase-3, Bax, cytochrome-c, and Bcl-2 protein levels were measured by immunoblotting method in the liver and kidney tissues. The liver and kidney histopathological changes were evaluated by the Hematoxylin and Eosin (H&E) staining method.

Results: CCl induced significant oxidative stress and apoptosis in kidney and liver tissues that was concomitant with histopathological abnormalities in these organs in the CCl group versus the control (<0.05). However, CaD (100 mg/kg) could significantly improve the histopathological change in the liver and kidney tissues of CCl+CaD 100 mg/kg mice versus the CCl group (<0.05). In addition, CaD (100 mg/kg) attenuated the pro and anti-apoptotic markers in the liver and kidney tissues of CCl+CaD 100 mg/kg mice versus the CCl group (<0.05).

Conclusion: CaD (100 mg/kg) has a protective effect against hepatorenal injury induced by CCl at least via its anti-apoptotic and anti-oxidant properties.