Alamandine protects against renal ischaemia-reperfusion injury in rats via inhibiting oxidative stress

Objective This study was to determine whether alamandine (Ala) could reduce ischaemia and reperfusion (I/R) injury of kidney in rats. Methods Renal I/R was induced by an occlusion of bilateral renal arteries for 70 min and a 24-h reperfusion in vivo, and rat kidney proximal tubular epithelial cells NRK52E were exposed to 24 h of hypoxia and followed by 3-h reoxygenation (H/R) in vitro. Results The elevated serum creatinine (Cr), blood cystatin C (CysC) and blood urea nitrogen (BUN) levels in I/R rats were inhibited by Ala treatment.Tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF)-alpha, IL-1 beta, IL-6, cleaved caspase-3, cleaved caspase-8 and Bax were increased, and BcI2 was reduced in the kidney of I/R rats, which were reversed by Ala administration. Ala reversed the increase of TNF-alpha, IL-beta, cleaved caspase-3, cleaved caspase-8 and Bax and the decrease of Bcl2 in the H/R NRK52E cells. Ala could also inhibit the increase of oxidative stress levels in the kidney of I/R rats. NADPH oxidase 1 (Nox1) overexpression reversed the improving effects of Ala on renal function, inflammation and apoptosis of I/R rats. Conclusion These results indicated that Ala could improve renal function, attenuate inflammation and apoptosis in the kidney of I/R rats via inhibiting oxidative stress.