Investigating Preventive Effect of Vitamin D and N-acetylcysteine Against Kidney Injury in Rats Versus the Promotive Effect of Paraquat

Paraquat (PQ) is one of the most important herbicides used in agriculture.

This study was conducted to compare the preventive effect of vitamin D (Vit D) and N-acetylcysteine (NAC) against kidney injury in rats versus the promotive effect of PQ.

In this study, rats were divided into six groups. The control group (group 1) received normal saline, Vit D group (group 2) received intraperitoneal (IP) injections of + Vit D (2 μg/kg), NAC group (group 3) received NAC (6.25 mg/kg, IP), PQ group (group 4) received PQ (5 mg/kg/d, IP), PQ + Vit D group (group 5) received PQ + Vit D (5 mg/kg/d + 2 μg/kg/d, IP) and PQ + NAC group (group 6) received PQ + NAC (5 mg/kg/d + 6.25 mg/kg/d, IP). The animals were treated for 7 consecutive days as a sub-chronic exposure. After the collection of urea and serum creatinine, biomarkers of oxidative stress and kidney histopathology were investigated.

PQ increased lipid peroxidation (LPO), urea, and serum creatinine, but it significantly decreased total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and thiol groups. In the groups treated with Vit D and NAC, it was observed that LPO, urea, and creatinine significantly decrease compared with the PQ group, and TAC, thiol groups, and Vit D levels increased in kidney tissue.

The obtained findings revealed that both Vit D and NAC used as preventive compound were able to reduce oxidative stress and tissue damage caused by PQ toxicity in the kidney.