Effects of vardenafil on the kidney of Wistar rats submitted to acute ischemia and reperfusion.

PURPOSE To investigate the effect of vardenafil in kidney of rats submitted to acute ischemia and reperfusion. METHODS Twenty-eight rats were randomly distributed into two groups. Right nephrectomy was performed and the vardenafil group received vardenafil solution (at a concentration of 1 mg/ml in 10 mg/kg) while the control group received 0.9% saline solution (SS) one hour prior to the ligature of the left renal pedicle. After one hour of ischemia, animals were submitted to twenty-four hours of reperfusion, followed by left nephrectomy. The kidney's histological parameters evaluated on the study included vacuolar degeneration and tubular necrosis. Apoptosis was assessed by immunohistochemistry for cleaved caspase-3 using the point-counting and digital methods (Cytophotometry). Also, a biochemical analysis for creatinine was conducted. RESULTS There were statistically significant differences between groups only with regards to the vacuolar degeneration parameter and to the cleaved caspase-3 digital method. CONCLUSION Vardenafil showed a protective effect on the kidney of rats subjected to acute ischemia and reperfusion in this model.