L-propionyl carnitine reduces toxicity correlated to cyclosporine-induced intracellular ATP concentrations.

In previous trials we proved how propionyl carnitine, an acyl carnitine characterized by its intense mitochondrial metabolic, and cardio and vasoprotective activity, could prevent the cyclosporine-induced nephrotoxicity. Subsequently we also noted how propionyl carnitine could prevent the increase in renal intracellular calcium, which is the base of many cyclosporine-induced toxic phenomena. In our trials, we used the isolated and perfused rat kidney technique to examine if with the variations of the concentration of intracellular calcium, the adenosine 5'-triphosphate concentrations also varied, and if this decrease could be corrected by administrating propionyl carnitine. The results we obtained in these experiments indicated that when propionyl carnitine was administered preventively, the concentrations of renal intracellular adenosine 5'-triphosphate which were decreased by the cyclosporine returned to their normal values and, at the same time, a decrease in the increased vascular resistance of the kidney was noted. Therefore, propionyl carnitine corrected one of the biochemical alterations which explained the pathogenesis of the renal damage induced by cyclosporine.