EFFECT OF EBSELEN ON RENAL SCARRING IN RATS FOLLOWING RENAL INFECTION

Renal scarring, which occurs following refluxing pyelonephritis, is co nsidered to be involved in the development of reflux nephropathy. Prev ention of renal scar formation requires immediate initiation of antimi crobial treatment; treatment delay results in renal scarring. We demon strate that Ebselen, an antioxidant agent, given at a dose of 15 mg/kg twice a day prevents renal scarring in rats following direct renal pa renchymal bacterial inoculation. In addition, using an ascending pyelo nephritis model, which clinically resembles refluxing pyelonephritis i n humans, we show that when initiation of antimicrobial treatment was delayed, coadministration of Ebselen prevents renal scar formation. Th ese results show that Ebselen is effective in preventing renal scarrin g and suggest that the clinical use of this drug may prevent renal sca r formation following pyelonephritis and progression to reflux nephrop athy.