title: The protective effects of spirulina in cyclophosphamide induced nephrotoxicity and urotoxicity in rats.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the role of Spirulina, a blue-green algae with antioxidant properties in the protection of cyclophosphamide-induced nephrotoxicity and hemorrhagic cystitis in rats.
  
  
  METHODS
  The control group (C) was sacrificed 24 hours after being given a single dose of saline intraperitoneally (150 mg/kg) on the seventh day of the experiment. The rats in the second group (CP) were sacrificed 24 hours after being given a single dose of cyclophosphamide, intraperitoneally (150 mg/kg) on the seventh day of the experiment. Spirulina was administered to the third group (SP+CP) orally (1000 mg/kg bw/day) for 7 days and a single dose of cyclophosphamide was injected intraperitoneally (150 mg/kg) on the seventh day of the experiment. At the eighth day of the experiment, malondialdehyde, superoxide dismutase, and catalase levels in renal and urinary bladder tissues were measured. Histomorphology in urinary bladder, apoptosis by caspase 3 immunostaining, and TUNEL assay in kidney were also evaluated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Tissue levels of malondialdehyde in the SP+CP group were significantly lower versus CP group (P < .05). Tissue levels of superoxide dismutase and catalase in the SP+CP group were significantly higher vs the CP group (P < .05). The histomorphologic alteration in urinary bladder in the SP+CP group was significantly lower vs that in the CP group. In the kidney, apoptosis in the SP+CP group as shown with TUNEL assay and immunohistochemistry was significantly lower vs that in the CP group (P < .05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Pretreatment with Spirulina protects the rats from cyclophosphamide-induced nephro-urotoxicity via its antioxidant and anti-apoptotic properties.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Maltepe University School of Medicine, Maltepe/Istanbul, Turkey. orhundr@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Orhun
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Sinanoglu
authors.forename: Arzu Neşe
authors.initials: AN
authors.lastname: Yener
authors.forename: Sinan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ekici
authors.forename: Ahmet
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Midi
authors.forename: Fehime Benli
authors.initials: FB
authors.lastname: Aksungar
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000378:metabolism; D002374:Catalase / Q000378:metabolism; D003520:Cyclophosphamide / Q000009:adverse effects; D003556:Cystitis / Q000517:prevention & control*; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000009:adverse effects; D020287:In Situ Nick-End Labeling; D007668:Kidney / Q000187:drug effects*; D007674:Kidney Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation / Q000187:drug effects; D008315:Malondialdehyde / Q000378:metabolism; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000502:physiology; D051381:Rats; D053545:Spirulina / Q000737:chemistry / Q000502:physiology*; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000378:metabolism; D001743:Urinary Bladder / Q000187:drug effects*; D001745:Urinary Bladder Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D008315:Malondialdehyde; D003520:Cyclophosphamide; D002374:Catalase; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase