Protective effect of a bioflavonoid proanthocyanidin-BP1 in glycerol-induced acute renal failure in the rat: Renal stereological study

Renal ischemia as well as oxygen metabolites play an important role in rena l injury during myoglobinuric acute renal failure (ARF). On the other hand flavonoids, a diverse group of constituents naturally occurring in plants, have a strong antioxidative activity, and have been implicated in vascular relaxation. In this study the protective effect of a new bioflavonoid proan thocyanidin-BP1 (BP1), extracted from seeds of grapes was evaluated in glyc erol-induced ARF in rats Stereological methods were used to quantify change s in renal morphology associated with ARF. Volume density of tubular lumen and intratubular cast formations, nuclear parameters (area, diameter, volum e) of epithelial cells in the cortical proximal tubules, and glomerular par ameters (surface area, diameter, volume, perimeter) were estimated on kidne y sections of rats treated either with 50% glycerol (8 mL/kg i.m.) alone, B P1 (20 mg/kg i.p.) in addition to glycerol, or BP1 alone. If was noted that the volume density of tubular lumen and cast formations were significantly lower (p < 0.001) in kidneys of the rats treated with BP1 in addition to g lycerol, compared with those treated with glycerol alone. There were no sig nificant differences in glomerular and nuclear parameters between glycerol treated and BP1 in addition to glycerol treated rats Renal function was sig nificantly improved in rats treated with BP1 in addition to glycerol. The r esults suggest that BP1 is a protective agent in glycerol model of ARF This effect is probably due to the antioxidative activity of BP1 and reduced to xicity of myoglobin in renal tissue. Moreover, it is possible that the abil ity of BP1 to protect the kidney is dependent upon renal vascular relaxatio n. The potential beneficial effects of bioflavonoid-BP1 demonstrated in exp erimental ARF could be considered in therapy of myoglobinuric ARF.