ANTIOXIDANT DEFENSE POTENTIAL OF RABBIT RENAL TISSUES AFTER ESWL - PROTECTIVE EFFECTS OF ANTIOXIDANT VITAMINS

Antioxidant defense potential, malondialdehyde (MDA) levels, and relat ive hydroxyl radical (OH.) concentrations were measured in order to es tablish the effects of extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL) on free radical production and antioxidant defense potential of the rabb it kidney tissues. Electron microscopic examination was also performed to observe ultrastructural changes. The antioxidant defense potential of the ESWL-treated tissues was found to be reduced, and the MDA leve ls increased as compared with controls. Vitamin (vitamin E plus C comb ination) pretreatment ameliorated antioxidant defense potential in par t, prevented increases in MDA levels in the ESWL-treated tissues, and increased the antioxidant defense potential in the control kidney tiss ues. After ESWL, a significant amount of OH. radical was measured in t he affected tissue. This revealed the source of oxidant stress and per oxidation reactions in the ESWL-treated kidney tissue. Vitamin pretrea tment caused significant reduction in the OH. radical concentration. I n the electron microscopic investigation, some significant subcellular changes, such as endothelial injury, loss of foot processes, damage o f glomerular basal membrane, etc., were observed in the ESWL-treated r enal tissue slices. Vitamin pretreatment to a great extent prevented f ormation of these subcellular changes. Our results suggest that the an tioxidant capacity of the kidney tissue was reduced after ESWL treatme nt and that the tissue was exposed to oxidant stress. Vitamin pretreat ment exerted significant protection against the radical damage.