Evaluation of efficacy of natural astaxanthin and vitamin E in prevention of colistin-induced nephrotoxicity in the rat model.

We evaluated the effect of astaxanthin (ASX) and vitamin E (vit E) on colistin methanesulfonate (CMS) induced-nephrotoxicity in rats. Animals were treated with sterile saline, 300000 or 450 000 IU/kg/day of CMS, CMS + ASX (20 mg/kg), CMS + vit E (100 mg/kg), or CMS + 1 ml/kg olive oil (OO) for 7 days. The plasma/urine creatinine (Cr) level, urine γ-glutamyl-transferase (GGT) level, and renal tissue activities in malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and reductase (GSH), as well as renal histology were performed. CMS induced a tubular damage, increased the GGT and MDA levels, and decreased the activities of SOD, CAT, GPx and GSH. Co-treatment with ASX or vit E restored all biochemical parameters cited above and improved the histopathological damage. Nephrotoxicity induced by CMS might be due to oxidative damage. The improvement by ASX or vit E seems to be related to their antioxidant properties.