Reno-protective Effect of Caffeine in LPS-Induced AKI: Suppression of Lipid Peroxidation and Antioxidant Restoration

Background: Acute Kidney Injury (AKI) induced by Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) involves extensive inflammation and severe oxidative stress, leading to tissue damage. This study investigated the protective efficacy of caffeine pre-treatment in mitigating this damage in rat kidney tissue, with a specific focus on lipid peroxidation and the intrinsic enzymatic antioxidant defense system. Methods: Thirty-five male Wistar rats were divided into five groups: Control (without any drug intervention), LPS-only (۱۰ mg/kg i.p.), LPS + Dexamethasone (۲.۵ mg/kg i.p.), and two LPS + Caffeine pre-treatment doses (Low-dose ۱۰ mg/kg and High-dose ۵۰ mg/kg oral gavage for ۱۴ days). Malondialdehyde (MDA) levels were quantified as a measure of lipid peroxidation. The primary antioxidant defense capacity was assessed by measuring Total Antioxidant Capacity (TAC) and the activity of the enzyme Catalase (CAT) in renal homogenates using colorimetric assays. Results: LPS administration significantly induced oxidative stress in the kidneys. This was clearly evidenced by a significant increase in MDA levels (p>۰.۰۱۵) and a concurrent, significant depletion in both CAT activity (p>۰.۰۱۵) and TAC levels (p>۰.۰۰۷) compared to control animals. Pre-treatment with both low and high doses of caffeine effectively mitigated these pathological changes. Caffeine significantly reduced MDA concentrations and successfully restored the activities of CAT and the overall TAC towards control levels. Conclusion: Caffeine exerts a potent reno-protective effect against LPS-induced AKI primarily by mitigating oxidative damage. This protection is directly demonstrated by the suppression of lipid peroxidation (reduced MDA) and the successful restoration of the key antioxidant defenses (CAT activity and TAC).

کلیدواژه ها:

Caffeine ، Acute Kidney Injury ، Malondialdehyde ، Total Antioxidant Capacity ، Catalase