The protective effect of silymarin on the antioxidant system at rat renal ischemia/reperfusion injury model

The aim of this study is to reveal the protective effects of silymarin (SM) treatment on the generation of oxidative stress with rat renal ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury model. Thirty-two (32) Sprague-Dawley rats were evaluated in four groups. Group I (Sham), Group II (renal I/R), Group III (renal I/R injury + SM 100 mg per kg) and Group IV (renal I/R injury + SM 200 mg per kg) were designed to evaluate dose-dependent effects of SM in renal I/R injury on the morphological and biochemical parameters changes. Renal I/R significantly decreased the enzymatic activity of catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD), whereas the malondialdeyde (MDA) levels increased. After renal I/R injury, significant tubular dilatation, tubular necrosis, glomerular necrosis, tubular vacuolization, hyaline casts, interstitial inflammation and necrosis of epithelium due to I/R injury was observed. In the Groups III and IV, in which the rats were treated with SM before renal I/R, tubular dilatation, tubular necrosis, glomerular necrosis, tubular vacuolization, hyaline casts, interstitial inflammation and necrosis of epithelium due to I/R injury were observed to be significantly protected with the treatment.The results of this study have demonstrated that SM significantly prevents the generation of oxidative stress and renal I/R injury induced renal changes in the rat.   Key words: Kidney, oxidative stress, pathology, rat, silymarin, morphology.