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The effects of methylene blue on renal scarring due to pyelonephritis in rats

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Abstract

The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficiency of methylene blue (MB) in preventing renal scar formation after the induction of pyelonephritis (PNP) in a rat model with delayed antimicrobial therapy. An inoculum of the K-12 strain of Escherichia coli was injected into both kidneys. Control groups received isotonic saline instead of bacterial solution. Four equal groups were then formed: the PNP group was untreated and the PNP ciprofloxacin (CIP) treated group was treated only with CIP intraperitoneally (i.p.) starting on the third day following bacterial inoculation. In the PNP (MB)-treated group, MB was given i.p., and in the PNP MB + CIP-treated group, MB + CIP were administered i.p.. In the sixth week following bacterial inoculation, all rats were sacrificed, and both kidneys of the rats in all groups were examined biochemically and histopathologically for renal scarring. Renal scar was significant in the groups treated with MB alone or MB + CIP combination compared with untreated or antibiotic only groups. Delayed treatment with antibiotics had no effect on scarring. These results suggest that the addition of MB to the delayed antibiotic therapy might be beneficial in preventing PNP-induced oxidative renal tissue damage.

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Abbreviations

PNP:

pyelonephritis

CIP:

ciprofloxacin

MB:

methylene blue

XO:

xanthine oxidase

DMSA:

dimercaptosuccinic acid

NADPH:

nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate

HP:

hydroxyproline

MDA:

malondialdehyde

NO:

nitric oxide

SOD:

superoxide dismutase

CAT:

catalase

iNOS:

inducible nitric oxide synthase

NOS:

nitric oxide synthase

PMNs:

polymorphonuclear leukocytes

i.p.:

intraperitoneally

UT:

untreated

SC:

sham control

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pediatric Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Trakya University, Edirne, Turkey

    Burhan Aksu, Mustafa Inan, Suleyman Ayvaz & Mehmet Pul

  2. Department of Histology and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, Trakya University, Edirne, Turkey

    Mehmet Kanter

  3. Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Trakya University, Edirne, Turkey

    Fulya Oz Puyan

  4. Department of Biochemistry, Cerrahpasa Faculty of Medicine, Istanbul University, Istanbul, Turkey

    Hafize Uzun & Seval Aydin

  5. Department of Nuclear Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Trakya University, Edirne, Turkey

    Gulay Durmus-Altun

  6. Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Trakya University, Edirne, Turkey

    Saban Gurcan

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  1. Burhan Aksu
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Correspondence to Burhan Aksu.

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Aksu, B., Inan, M., Kanter, M. et al. The effects of methylene blue on renal scarring due to pyelonephritis in rats. Pediatr Nephrol 22, 992–1001 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00467-007-0464-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00467-007-0464-8

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