The Effect of Sulfasalazine on Renal Damage in Sepsis Model Induced by Cecal Ligation and Puncture in Rats

Sepsis is a medical condition that occurs when a harmful inflammatory response damages tissues and organs. The kidneys are among the organs most frequently affected by sepsis. Anti-inflammatory strategies are crucial in treating sepsis. The anti-inflammatory properties of sulphasalazine (SFZ) have been demonstrated in various in vitro and in vivo studies. This study investigates the effect of SFZ on kidney damage in a rat model of sepsis induced by the cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) method. Animals were divided into control, CLP, CLP + SFZ50, and CLP + SFZ250. Two doses of SFZ (50 and 250 mg/kg) were applied in two different treatment groups after CLP. The administration of SFZ reduced the CLP-induced increase in serum blood urea nitrogen (BUN), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β), neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL), interleukin-18 (IL-18), kidney injury molecule-1 (KIM-1), and creatinine (Cre) levels for both doses (p < 0.05). Additionally, SFZ treatment significantly decreased histopathological damage, phosphorylated NF-κB, toll-like receptor-4 (TLR-4), IL-1β, phosphorylated IκB-α, interleukin-6 (IL-6), TNF-α, caspase-3, and caspase-8 levels (p < 0.05). In this study, we found that two different doses of SFZ (50 and 250 mg/kg) showed protective effects by decreasing inflammation and kidney damage in a CLP-induced experimental sepsis model.