Objective: 

Diazinon, an organophosphate insecticide has been used in agriculture and domestic for several years. The aim of this study was to examine diazinon-induced oxidative stress that promotes production of reactive oxygen species and the role of caffeic acid phenetyl ester (CAPE) on kidney tissue against possible oxidative damage in rats.

Methods: 

Thirty rats were used in the study. Animals were randomly grouped as follows: sham-operated control group (n=10) and experimental groups: (a) group II: Diazinon-induced (DI) group (n=10); and (b) group III: Diazinon-induced+CAPE-treated (DI+CAPE) group (n=10). Kidney tissues were removed to study the activities of catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) and the levels of lipid peroxidation.

Results: 

In DI group, while tissue malondialdehyde (MDA) levels were increased, SOD, CAT and GSH-Px activities were reduced compared with the control group. CAPE treatment in group III reversed these effects.

Conclusions: 

In this study, the increased levels of MDA and the decreased levels of kidney tissue SOD, CAT and GSH-Px activities demonstrate the role of oxidative mechanisms in diazinon-induced kidney tissue damage, and CAPE, via its free radical scavenging and antioxidant properties, ameliorates oxidative kidney injury. These results show that CAPE exhibits a protective effect on diazinon-induced and free radical-mediated oxidative kidney impairment in rats.