Protective effects of β-blocker carvedilol by experimentally induced solar burn in rats

Evidence that free oxygen radicals may be responsible for tissue damage following skin thermal injury supports a theory of interventional use of antioxidants in therapy. Carvedilol (CVD) is used for treatment of hypertension and chronic heart failure. It also chows a potent scavenger property in pathological conditions in which free oxygen radicals (FOR) take part. We studied whether carvedilol can reduce renal damage induced by solar thermal effect in a 17 - day-long experiment. A solar emittor was used to develop solar erythema within the range 30% of the total body surface of narcotised experimental rats. The animals were randomly assigned to two equal groups (n = 7) Group 1 was treated with CVD at a dose of 10mg/kg/day administered in I int of saline i.p. Group 2 (placebo group) was given I nil of saline i.p./day. Protein and malonyldialdehyde (MDA) concentrations were determined in serum samples obtained on days 1, 8, and 17. Proteinuria and total protein loss per day were measured in urine samples daily. Serum protein levels of the two experimental groups did not differ significantly during the period under study. Serum MDA of the placebo group surpassed significantly that of the treated group on days 8 and 17 (p < 0.05). Protein concentrations ill Urine of CVD-treated animals were lower than those of the placebo.-roup during the entire experimental period except for days 4 and 5 (p < 0.05 and p < 0.01). Total protein loss/day in urine shows similar differences between both groups (p < 0.05, p < 0.01). The results of our study show that in experimentally induced thermal injury carvedilol apparently protects renal function. by increased renal blood flow and by its antioxidant effect.