Failure of inosine to prevent ischemic damage in the canine and rat kidney models.

Intravenous, renal artery, and intraperitoneal administration of inosine at dosages of 100 to 200 mg/kg, 160 mg/kg, and 200 mg/kg, respectively, in the dog and rat was used to test its efficacy in preventing ischemic damage after 60 min of warm ischemia in an in situ solitary renal model. No improvement of renal function as compared with a control and a conventional mannitol/furosemide treatment group was detected. Rather, inosine at dosages of greater than or equal to 160 mg/kg resulted in significantly impaired renal function in the experimental groups of the dog model; no improvement was observed in the rat model. These results suggest that the use of inosine in human renal surgery and preservation should be approached cautiously.