Effects of medical ozone therapy on acetaminophen-induced nephrotoxicity in rats

Acetaminophen (APAP), also known as paracetamol, is the commonest cause of toxic ingestion in the world. Because overdose of APAP has life-threatening effects on kidney, treatment of APAP-induced nephrotoxicity has life-saving importance. Aim of the study was to evaluate the efficacy of medical ozone therapy in experimental model of APAP toxication. Twenty-one male Wistar rats (200-250 g) were randomly assigned into three groups containing seven rats each: Sham, control (only APAP treated), and APAP + ozone therapy groups. Rats were killed 48 hours after administration of APAP. Urea, creatinine levels in the blood, and malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activity in renal tissue were measured. Kidney tissues were stained with hematoxylin and eosin for histological assessment. APAP administration deteriorated the renal functions and significantly elevated renal MDA levels and depleted SOD and GSH-Px activities. Ozone therapy significantly reduced the MDA level, increased the SOD and GSH-Px activities, and normalized the renal histology. In conclusion, our study results are consistent with encouraging data for ozone therapy on APAP-induced nephrotoxicity in rats by improving antioxidant mechanism and oxidative stress.