Effects of resveratrol on glycerol-induced renal injury

Glycerol-induced renal lesions can have many causes, including increased oxidative stress and inflammation. Resveratrol, a polyphenolic phytoalexin found in grapes and red wine, is an antioxidant agent with anti-inflammatory effects. In the present study, we investigated the possible protective effect of resveratrol on glycerol-induced nephrotoxicity. Male Wistar rats were injected intramuscularly with 8 ml/kg of either 50% glycerol (n=18), glycerol+resveratrol (n=22), 0.15 M saline (n=14), saline+carboxymethylcellulose (n=10) or saline+resveratrol (n=8). The rats were killed 3 days after the injections, at which time the kidneys were removed for histological and immunohistochemical studies and lipid peroxidation determination. Blood and urine samples were collected in order to quantify sodium and creatinine. The results of the histological and immunohistochemical studies were scored according to the extent of damage and immunostaining, respectively, in the cortical tubulointerstitium. Lipid peroxidation was estimated by measuring malondialdehyde in renal tissue samples collected from control rats and glycerol-injected rats. By postinjection day 3, glycerol-only treated rats presented increases in plasma creatinine levels, as well as in fractional excretion of sodium and potassium (P<0.001). These increases were less pronounced in glycerol+resveratrol-treated rats (P<0.05). Cortical expression of macrophages, lymphocytes, nuclear factor-kappa B, heme oxygenase-1 and nitrotyrosine was greater in glycerol-treated rats than in controls (P<0.001). In addition, the histological findings for glycerol-treated rats were characteristic of acute tubular necrosis. Resveratrol attenuated all of these alterations (P<0.001). We conclude that resveratrol ameliorates glycerol-induced renal injury by suppressing the inflammatory process and by inhibiting lipid peroxidation.