Representative pictures of superoxide formation visualized by using the dye dihydroethidium on kidney cryosections (A). Superoxide (B) and DNA double strand break formation (C) in control rats, rats treated with gum arabic (15% w/v in drinking water) and rats treated with adenine (0.75% w/w) alone in feed, or with adenine and gum arabic given concomitantly at the same dose for 28 days.

<p>Each column and vertical bar represents the mean ± SEM (n = 5). ** p<0.01, *** p<0.001 vs. control, ^## p<0.01, ^### p<0.001 vs. adenine treatment.</p

Tumor necrosis factor-α concentration in urine (A) and plasma (B) in control rats, rats treated with gum arabic (15% w/v in drinking water) and rats treated with adenine (0.75% w/w) alone in feed, or with adenine and gum arabic given concomitantly at the same dose for 28 days.

<p>Each column and vertical bar represents the mean ± SEM (n = 6). ** p<0.01, *** p<0.001 vs. control, ^# p<0.05, ^## p<0.01,^### p<0.001 vs. adenine treatment.</p

Effect of treatment of rats with gum arabic (GA, 15% w/v in drinking water), with or without adenine in feed (0.75% w/w) for 28 days on indices of oxidative stress in renal cortex and plasma.

<p>The values represent the mean ± SEM (n  = 6). * p<0.05 vs. control, ^# p<0.05 vs. adenine treatment.</p><p>Reduced glutathione (GSH) concentration and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity were measured in renal homogenates, and total antioxidant activity (TAOA) was estimated in plasma.</p>a<p>mM uric acid equivalents.</p

Plasma C-reactive protein concentration in control rats, rats treated with gum arabic (15% w/v in drinking water) and rats treated with adenine (0.75% w/w) alone in feed, or with adenine and gum arabic given concomitantly at the same dose for 28 days.

<p>Each column and vertical bar represents the mean ± SEM (n = 6). ^# p≤0.05 vs. adenine treatment.</p

Occurrence of inflammation (A) in kidneys of control rats, rats treated with gum arabic (15% w/v in drinking water) and rats treated with adenine (0.75% w/w) alone in feed, or with adenine and gum arabic given concomitantly at the same dose for 28 days.

<p>Black arrows in the representative pictures of tissue stained with hemytoxylin point to leucocyte infiltration. Occurrence of fibrosis (B) in the kidneys of control rats, rats treated with gum arabic (15% w/v in drinking water) and rats treated with adenine (0.75% w/w) alone in feed, or with adenine and gum arabic given concomitantly at the same dose for 28 days. Shown are representative pictures of fibrosis in the kidney, with black arrows pointing to examples of collagen disposition, visualized by Sirius Red staining.</p

Effect of treatment of rats with gum arabic (GA, 15% w/v in drinking water), with or without adenine in feed (0.75% w/w) for 28 days on histopathological parameters.

<p>The values represent the mean ± SEM (n  = 6). * p<0.05, ** p<0.01, *** p<0.001 vs. control, ^### p<0.001 vs. control vs. adenine treatment. GSI = glomerular sclerosis index, MSI = mesangiolysis index.</p

Plasma creatinine (A) and creatinine clearance (B), as well as proteinuria (C) in control rats, rats treated with gum arabic (15% w/v in drinking water) and rats treated with adenine (0.75% w/w) alone in feed, or with adenine and gum arabic given concomitantly at the same dose for 28 days.

<p>Each column and vertical bar represents the mean ± SEM (n = 6). ** p<0.01, *** p<0.001 vs. control, ^# p≤0.05, ^### p<0.001 vs. adenine treatment.</p