Abstract
Introduction: Pharmacological properties of C-phycocyanin are related to its antioxidant activity. The use of aminoglycoside antibiotics is limited due to the risk to induce nephrotoxicity. Agents with antioxidant properties reduce renal damage caused by aminoglycosides.
Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the effect of C-phycocyanin on glomerular and tubular morphologies during recovery phase after the damage induced by a chronic treatment with kanamycin in rats.
Materials and Methods: Twenty-nine adult male Wistar rats divided into five groups were treated for 20 days with;solution of sodium chloride 0.1 mol/L, pH 7.2-7.4 (PBS) (Control group), kanamycin (500 mg/kg) (Kanamycin group) and the other three groups received C-phycocyanin (5 or 10 mg/kg) plus kanamycin (500 mg/kg) (Phycocyanin Concomitant 5, Phycocyanin Concomitant 10 and Phycocyanin Pretreated 10). The group Phycocyanin Pretreated 10 received a previous treatment with C-phycocyanin during 4 days. Eight weeks after the last treatment, kidneys were removed, embedded in paraffin and stained with hematoxylin and eosin and periodic acid–Schiff (PAS). Glomeruli and proximal tubules were evaluated by light microscopy in 10 histological fields of cortical area, using qualitative, semi-quantitative and quantitative morphological studies.
Results: The group Phycocyanin Pretreated 10 showed the best effects minimizing glomerular and tubular damages and increasing the density of preserved tubules. The group Phycocyanin Concomitant 10 had effect on proximal tubules only. These two groups decreased the global renal damage caused by kanamycin.
Conclusion: C-phycocyanin accelerates the recovery of glomeruli and proximal tubules damaged by kanamycin in rats, possibly due to its antioxidant properties.