Methylene blue attenuates renal ischemia–reperfusion injury in rats

Abstract Background and purpose In our study, we investigated the effects of methylene blue (MB) on histopathological changes in renal ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury rat model. Material and methods Twenty-one Sprague–Dawley male rats were divided equally into three groups. Group 1 (control) was administered intraperitoneal saline solution. In Groups 2 (untreated group) and 3 (MB treatment), the renal arteries were clamped, and ischemia (for 1 hour) and then reperfusion (for 4 hours) were applied. Thirty minutes before ischemia, the untreated group received physiological saline, whereas the treatment group was administered 30 mg/kg MB through an intraperitoneal route. Blood samples were drawn, and renal specimens were harvested 5.5 hours after physiologic saline injection in the control and immediately after the reperfusion period in the other groups. The levels of tissue superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), total oxidant status (TOS), total antioxidant status (TAS), plasma urea, creatinine and ischemia modified albumin (IMA) were measured. Moreover, the histopathological damage score of the renal tissue was determined. Results MB significantly alleviated the severity of histopathological damage by increasing the levels of tissue SOD and TAS and decreasing TOS concentrations in the renal I/R model ( p < 0.05). Conclusion Administration of MB in renal I/R damage may play a protective role.