Evaluation of agmatine efficacy in contrast-induced nephropathy: experimental evidence in rat model

Yeniçeri, Murat; Baş, Süleyman; Şenoymak, Mustafa Can; Salmanoğlu, Musa; Tanoğlu, Alpaslan

doi:10.1590/acb412426

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Original Article • Acta Bras Cir 41 • 2026 • https://doi.org/10.1590/acb412426 linkcopy

Evaluation of agmatine efficacy in contrast-induced nephropathy: experimental evidence in rat model

Authorship SCIMAGO INSTITUTIONS RANKINGS

Purpose: To investigate the biochemical and histopathological efficacy of agmatine as a protective agent in experimental rat contrast-induced nephropathy (CIN) model.

Methods: Twenty-eight male Sprague Dawley rats were randomized into four groups: sham (no intervention), contrast agent (single dose 10 mL/kg iohexol iv), contrast agent + agmatine (single dose 10 mL/kg iohexol iv + 20 mg/kg po agmatine three days) and contrast agent + placebo (single dose 10 mL/kg iohexol iv + 1 mL of 0.9% saline ip). Biochemical and histopathological evaluations were accomplished on the fourth day, including measurements of cystatin-C, malondialdehyde (MDA), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), interleukin (IL)-1 β, superoxide dismutase (SOD), and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α.

Results: The contrast agent group exhibited elevated cystatin-C, IL-1β, TNF-α, and MDA levels, with decreased SOD and GPx levels. The agmatine treatment group showed decrease in cystatin-C, IL-1β, TNF-α, and MDA, along with increased GPx and SOD levels. Histopathological evaluation revealed nephrotoxic effects in the contrast agent and placebo groups, whereas agmatine-treated rats displayed a significant reduction in tubular damage.

Conclusion: Agmatine administration along side contrast exposure demonstrated protective effects against CIN, evidenced by biochemical and histopathological improvements.

Key words
Agmatine; Iohexol; Contrast Media

Parameters	Group 1 sham	Group 2 C.A.	Group 3 C.A. + agmatine	Group 4 placebo	P -value
Cys-C (ng/mL)	5.30 ± 0.39*	7.40 ± 0.78*	5.21 ± 0.31*	7.03 ± 0.83*	< 0.001^a
GPx (ng/mL)	18.79 ± 0.97*	15.39 ± 0.69*	18.05 ± 0.83*	15.66 ± 1.02*	< 0.001^a
IL-1β (pg/mL)	504.44 ± 41.24*	639.29 ± 31.74*	556.62 ± 20.12*	615.73 ± 45.08*	< 0.001^a
SOD (ng/L)	1.13 ± 0.12*	0.76 ± 0.04*	0.89 ± 0.05*	0.84 ± 0.06*	< 0.001^a
TNF-α (ng/mL)	48.71 ± 8.24*	67.76 ± 3.65*	51.04 ± 4.51*	63.56 ± 3.70*	< 0.001^a
MDA (nmol/mL)	0.79 ± 0.05*	1.29 ± 0.07*	1.19 ± 0.08*	1.27 ± 0.07*	< 0.001^a

Groups	Mononuclear cell infiltration	Tubular degeneration	Tubular necrosis	Casts in tubular lumen
1 (sham)	-	-	-	-
2 (C.A.)	++	++	-	++
3 (C.A. + Ag)	+	-	-	+
4 (Placebo)	++	++	-	++

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[1] Cys-C: cystatin-C; GPx: glutathione peroxidase; IL: interleukin; SOD: superoxide dismutase; TNF: tumor necrosis factor; MDA: malondialdehyde; C.A.: contrast agent. Source: Elaborated by the authors.