Effects of N-acetylcysteine on myoglobinuric-acute renal failure in rats

Oxygen metabolites play an important role in renal injury during myoglobinuric acute renal failure (ARF). This study was designed to determine the protective influence of N-acetylcysteine (NAC), a hydroxyl radical scavenger, and treatment in an experimental model of myoglobinuric-ARF induced by intramuscular injection of hypertonic glycerol in rats. The rats were randomly distributed into five groups: Group 0 (n = 10), was assigned to receive 2mL saline (0,9%) intraperitoneally (ip); Group 1 (n = 10), NAC ip in a dose of 0 mg/100 g of body weight 30 min before the intramuscular (im) injection of 50% glycerol (10 mg/kg); Group 2 (n = 10), received saline 0,9% ip in a equivalent volume of NAC in Group I before the im injection of glycerol; Group 3 (n = 10), received NAC ip in a dose of 10 mg/100 g after im injection of glycerol; Group 4 (n = 10), saline 0,9% ip in a equivalent volume of NAC of the Group 3 after im administration of glycerol. After 24 h rats were sacrificed and kidney morphology and renal function were determined. A severe renal failure was produced by glycerol injection in the Groups 1, 2, 3, and 4, with significant tubular proximal necrosis and cast formation, and creatinine and urea concentrations were elevated in these groups without significant differences among groups, but Group 0 where the values were significantly lower. The results of this study suggests that ip administration of NAC in rats before or after glycerol injection do not confer protection against impairment of renal function under these conditions in this model of myoglobinuric-ARF.