INHIBITORY EFFECT OF PROBUCOL ON NEPHROTOXICITY INDUCED BY FERRIC NITRILOTRIACETATE (FE-NTA) IN RATS

Effects of dietary probucol on renal damage induced by a renal carcino gen, ferric nitrilotriacetate (Fe-NTA), in male Wistar rats were quant itatively investigated with a computer-mediated image analyzer, The ki dneys of rats fed a 1% probucol diet were protected from necrosis and lipid peroxidation induced by a single i.p. treatment with Fe-NTA solu tion at 5 mg Fe/kg body wt and were significantly resistant to a highe r dose, For the parameter of lipid peroxidation, Schiff's staining met hod was utilized to demonstrate the extent of formation of aldehydes, products of lipid peroxidation, Thus following injection of Fe-NTA sol ution at 10 mg Fe/kg body wt the average areas of tubular necrosis wer e 85.8% versus 56.9% and the positive areas for Schiff's staining were 15.3% versus 5.6% in the renal cortices of rats fed control or 1% pro bucol diets respectively, These results indicate that probucol provide s protection against Fe-NTA-induced nephrotoxicity through its antioxi dant properties, In addition to being a cholesterol-lowering drug, use ful for the control of hypercholesterolemia, probucol may therefore be beneficial for prevention and treatment of various pathogenic process es including those leading to carcinogenesis.