Evaluation of the Protective Effect of Vitamins E and C on Acute Tubular Damage Induced by Colistin in Rat Model

Objective: This study was performed to investigate the protective effect of vitamins E and C against tubular damage induced by the high dose, 450 000 IU/kg/day, of colistin methanesulfonate (CMS) in rat model. Methods: Thirty six rats were randomly divided into six groups (n = 6) treated with: sterile saline, CMS, CMS + olive oil (OO), CMS + vitamin C (vit C), CMS + vit E or CMS + vit E + vit C. Urine Nacetyl- b-D-glucosaminidase (NAG) and gamma-glutamyl-transferase (GGT) levels, plasma level of creatinine (Cr), vit E and vit C, and renal tissue levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx), as well as renal histology were performed. Results: CMS induced an acute tubular necrosis, increased the NAG, GGT and MDA levels and reduced the levels of vit E, vit C, SOD, CAT and GPx. Co-treatment with vitamins E and C, alone or in combination, restored all biochemical parameters cited above and improved the histopathological damage, with a superior nephroprotective effect of combined vitamins. Conclusion: Tubular damage induced by colistin is at least partly due to oxidative stress. Nephro-protective effect of vitamins E+C is partially mediated through its antioxidant properties and the higher protection of combined vitamins is related to its synergistic effects