Protective effect of Salvia miltiorrhizae injection on N(G)-nitro-D-arginine induced nitric oxide deficient and oxidative damage in rat kidney.

Abstract N(G)-nitro- d -arginine ( d -NNA) could convert into N(G)-nitro- l -arginine ( l -NNA) in vivo , and kidney is the major target organ. In the chiral inversion process, a number of reactive oxygen species (ROS) were generated and NOS activity was inhibited, which may cause renal damage. Salvia miltiorrhiza (SM), a traditional Chinese drug, was used in the treatment of cardiovascular diseases and chronic renal failure. The aim of the present study was to investigate the kidney damage caused by d -NNA administration for 12 weeks and to evaluate the effects of treatment with SM on d -NNA-induced kidney damage. The rats, induced with d -NNA for period of 12 weeks, showed significant elevation of Blood Urea Nitrogen (BUN), Creatinine (Crea) and MDA levels, and significant decrease of SOD and GSH-Px activities, as compared with control group. In addition, the kidney of rats induced with d -NNA only showed remarkable histopathology, including severe mononuclear cell infiltration, mild tubular dilatation and congestion, and moderate interstitial desmoplasia. After 4 weeks SM treatment, the activity of SOD, GSH-Px and iNOS and the production of NO were significantly higher ( P d -NNA only group ( P d -NNA relates to its ability to generate oxidative stress and upregulate NOS activity in rat kidney. SM probably ameliorates d -NNA-induced nephrotoxicity in rats according to scavenging free radical and upregulating NOS activity.