Black Grape Extract Protects Against Cyclosporine A Nephrotoxicity

The aim of this study was to determine if dried black grape protect against cyclosporine nephrotoxicity. Twenty eight Sprague-Dawley rats were given Cyclosporine A (CsA) orally for 10 days, with the black grape (Kalecik karasi, total phenolic content of the grape was approx. 96.25±2.03mg gallic acid equivalent/gr) supplementation begun three days before CsA treatment and continued during the study period (totally 13 days). In each group (control, CsA alone, CsA plus black grape, and black grape alone), there were 7 animals. At the end of the study period, the animals were sacrificed; their kidneys were removed and prepared for biochemical investigations. Oxidant (xanthine oxidase enzyme and malondialdehyde) and antioxidant (superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase and catalase enzymes) parameters were measured in the kidney tissues of the groups. It has been found that CsA creates oxidant load to the kidneys through both xanthine oxidase activation and impaired antioxidant defense system, which accelerates oxidation reactions in the kidney tissue. Supplementation dried black grape led to reduced malondialdehyde level in the kidney tissue possibly, by preventing oxidant reactions. In conclusion, the results suggest that impaired oxidant/antioxidant balance may play part in the CsA-induced nephrotoxicity, and black grape may ameliorate this toxicity, in agreement with studies with antioxidant vitamins.