Sacran, a High-molecular Weight Polysaccharide Inhibits Renal Injury and Oxidative Stress in Chronic Renal Failure Model Rats

The administration of a high-molecular polysaccharide Sacran results in a significant decrease in renal injury and oxidative stress, compared with that for the oral carbonaceous adsorbent, AST-120 (Kremezin®) or a non-treatment group in 5/6 nephrectomized rats. An oral administration of Sacran (20 mg/day) over a 4 week period resulted in a significant decrease in serum indoxyl sulfate, creatinine and urea nitrogen levels, compared with a similar treatment with AST-120 or the non-treatment group. Sacran treatment also resulted in antioxidant potential being maintained, compared with that for AST-120 or the non-treatment group. Immuno-histochemical analyses also demonstrated that CRF rats, when treated with Sacran, showed a decrease in the level of accumulated renal fibrosis and 8-OHdG compared with AST-120 or the non-treatment group. These results suggest that the ingestion of Sacran results in a significant reduction in the levels of prooxidants, such as uremic toxins, in the gastrointestinal tract, thereby inhibiting the subsequent development of oxidative stress in the systemic circulation.