The Effects of Nitric Oxide on Gentamicin Toxicity in Isolated Perfused Rat Kidney

There have been many studies in recent years on the role of nitric oxide (NO) in acute renal failure. In this study, the effects of inhibition or interoduction of No synthase on renal toxicity of gentamicin were investegated. Isolated kidneys of male rats were perfused with Tyrode buffer (T) as the control group, T+L-argrinine as group 2, T+L-NAME as group 3, T+gentamicin (G) as group 4, T+L-arginine + urinary enzymes, lactate dehydrogenace and alkaline phosphatase (markers of cell death) were measured. Enzymes activity in group 2, 3 and 5 were not significantly different from the control group, in contrast groups 4, 6 and 5, 4 were significanthy different. Group 6 showed significant increase and group 5 showed a significant decrease in the enzymes activity as compared with group 4. This study suggests that NO can protect kidney from gentamicin toxicity.