Role of Spironolactone Chalcone in the Prevention of Peritoneal Fibrosis in Patients with Peritoneal Dialysis

Purpose: The study was designed to investigate the effects of a novel spironolactone chalcone in the prevention of peritoneal fibrosis. Methods: Wistar rats (n = 30) were randomly assigned to 3 groups: bacteria (B), spironolactone amide treatment (S), and control (C) groups. C group received only dextran beads while S and B groups were given bacteria and dextran beads intraperitoneally, but spironolactone chalcone was also given to S group. The treatments were administered daily. The rats were sacrificed on day 15 to quantify peritoneal adhesion and for histological examination of the peritoneal tissues using hematoxylin, eosin and Masson’s trichrome dyes. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kit was used to determine TGFβ1 content of peritoneal fluids and serum samples. Results: Spironolactone chalcone treatment at a dose of 30 mg/kg body weight daily for 15 days significantly reduced peritoneal total adhesion score in S group compared to untreated B group (p < 0.01). S group also showed significantly lower mean peritoneal thickness, inflammation score, and fibrosis score compared to B group. Serum transforming growth factor β1 was also reduced significantly in S group animals on spironolactone chalcone treatment compared to B group. Conclusion: Spironolactone chalcone is a potentially effective candidate for decreasing the extent of peritoneal injury caused by bacterial peritonitis.