Prevention of renal damage by alpha tocopherol in ischemia and reperfusion models of rats

Ischemia-reperfusion injury in rat kidneys most probably comes from oxidative stress, but the possible preventive effect of alpha-tocopherol (AT) treatment on this injury has not yet been established. Forty male Wistar rats were randomly divided into four groups. The left renal arteries of all rats except the controls were clamped to induce renal ischemia. The left kidneys of the rats in the ischemia group were removed following 40 min ischemia. The rats in the ischemia-reperfusion and ischemia-reperfusion-AT groups were treated similarly, but in these groups the renal arteries were re-perfused for 1 h following ischemia. The rats in the ischemia-reperfusion-AT group also received 10 mg/kg AT 3 h prior to ischemia. The specimens were examined histopathologically and ultrastructurally, and the tissue calcium levels were measured. Light microscope and ultrastructural examination showed that the greatest damage occurred in the ischemia-reperfusion group. The highest level of tissue calcium was also found in this group. In the ischemia-reperfusion-AT-treated group, less tissue damage and a lower tissue calcium concentration was found compared to both the ischemia and ischemia-reperfusion groups. Our results indicate that AT can reduce tissue damage after ischemia-reperfusion injury.