Effects of bemiparin and heparin on blood pressure, renal and liver function tests and platelet indices of salt-loaded uninephrectomized rats

Abstract EN

Low-molecular-weight Heparins (LMWHs) are being preferred to unfractionated Heparin (UFH) because of their superior convenience and comparable or slightly better toxicity profile.

This study was designed to investigate and compare the effects of LMWH (Bemiparin) and Heparin on hemodynamic parameters, liver and renal function tests and platelet indices of salt loaded uninephrectomized hypertensive rats.

The experimental rats divided into two groups.

The first group included 18 hypertensive rats.

Hypertension induced by unilateral nephrectomy and high NaCl loading with 4% NaCl in diet for 4 weeks.

The rat models were subdivided into three groups, each subgroup consists of six rats.

The first subgroup served as a positive control.

The second subgroup received a daily intraperitoneal (I.

P) injection (250 unit / kg) of Bemiparin for thirty days.

The third sub group received daily I.

P injection (250 unit / kg) of Heparin for thirty days.

The second group included six rats underwent sham operated surgery and served as a control group.

Blood pressure was recorded in conscious rats by the tail-cuff plethmography method.

At the end of the experiments, blood samples were collected from the rats for determination of serum creatinine, blood urea nitrogen, serum total bilirubin, serum sodium, potassium, calcium, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), alkaline phosphates (ALP) concentrations and platelet indices.

Compared to sham control rats, Systolic blood pressure in uninephrectomized loaded with a high salt was significantly reduced by administration of both Bemiparin and Heparin.

Serum K+ and Na+ levels of hypertensive rats were significantly increased.

Bemiparin significantly lowered serum K+ and Na+ levels of uninephrectomized rats, while Heparin did not change serum K+ and Na+ levels.

The rise in both blood urea and serum creatinine of salt-loaded uninephrectomized hypertensive rats were significantly (P < 0.05) reduced by Bemiparin and Heparin administration.

There were no significant changes in the liver function tests and platelet indices of all the experimental rats.

The results suggest that Bemiparin has more beneficial effects than Heparin in improving blood pressure and renal functions by affecting serum levels of sodium, creatinine and urea.

Unlike Heparin, Bemiparin did not lead to hyperkalemia in hypertensive rats.