title: L-carnosine alters some hemorheologic and lipid peroxidation parameters in nephrectomized rats.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a major health problem worldwide. Oxidative stress is one of the mediators of this disease. Systemic complications of oxidative stress are involved in the pathogenesis of hypertension, endothelial dysfunction, shortened erythrocyte lifespan, deformability, and nitric oxide (NO) dysfunction. L-carnosine is known as an antioxidant. In this study, our aim was to investigate the effect of carnosine on hemorheologic and cardiovascular parameters in CKD-induced rats.
  
  
  METHODS
  We used 4-month-old male Sprague-Dawley rats divided into 4 groups of 6 rats each. Three days after subtotal nephrectomy and sham operations, the surviving rats were divided into the 4 groups; 1) Sham (S), 2) Sham+Carnosine (S-C), 3) Subtotal nephrectomy (Nx), and 4) Subtotal nephrectomy + Carnosine (N-C). Carnosine was injected intraperitoneally (i.p.) (50 mg/kg) for 15 days. The control group received the same volume of physiological saline.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In CKD rats, malondialdehyde (MDA) levels were increased, and NO and RBC deformability were decreased compared to Sham. Carnosine treatment decreased MDA levels, improved RBC (red blood cell) ability to deform, and increased NO levels. However, carnosine did not affect blood pressure levels in these rats.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We found that carnosine has beneficial effects on CKD in terms of lipid peroxidation and RBC deformability. Carnosine may have a healing effect in microcirculation level, but may not have any effect on systemic blood pressure in CKD-induced rats.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, Istanbul Bilim University, Medical Faculty, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Hande
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yapislar
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation, Istanbul Bilim University, School of Health Sciences, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Eylem
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Taskin
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D002336:Carnosine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004907:Erythrocyte Deformability / Q000187:drug effects; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000187:drug effects; D018056:Hemorheology / Q000187:drug effects*; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation / Q000187:drug effects*; D008297:Male; D008315:Malondialdehyde / Q000378:metabolism; D009392:Nephrectomy; D009566:Nitrates / Q000378:metabolism; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism; D009573:Nitrites / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D033081:Shear Strength / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D009566:Nitrates; D009573:Nitrites; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D008315:Malondialdehyde; D002336:Carnosine