Abstract

Highly reactive oxygen metabolites have been known to have a role in several models of acute renal failure. Especially hydroxyl radicals have been proved to be important mediators by some previous authors. This study was aimed to determine the role of superoxide radical as well as hydroxyl radical and to compare the protective effects of both scavengers in myoglobinuric renal failure. Acute renal failure was induced by intramuscular injection of hypertonic glycerol (6mg/kg, half-dose in each hindlimb muscles) in rats. Rats treated with glycerol and hydroxyl radical scavenger, dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO), showed lower serum blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and creatinine level than rats with glycerol alone. And also significant protection was noticed histologically. Superoxide radical scavenger, superoxide dismutase (SOD), had a similar protective effects. In contrast, allopurinol, an inhibitor of xanthine oxidase, was not protective at all. The present study may suggest that both superoxide and hydoxyl radical playa role of tissue injury in myoglobin-induced renal failure. Beside xanthine oxidase, other souces of oxygen free radical may exist.