Renal protective effect of EGCG on medullary damage and apoptosis in CIN kidney.

EGCG (10mg/kg body wt) was given intravenously 15min before (pre-EGCG+CM) or after the establishment of CIN (post-EGCG+CM). Serum Cr (A) and BUN (B) were measured 24h after the establishment of CIN. (C) Representative images of H&E staining under ×400 magnification in the outer medulla. Arrows showed examples of protein casts and tubular vacuolar degeneration/necrosis. Erythrocytes and infiltration of polymorphonuclear cells could be easily observed in the interstitium. (D) Representative images of TUNEL assay under ×400 magnification in the outer medulla. (E) The histopathologic scores of medullary damage. (F) Quantification of TUNEL-positive nuclei per ×200 field. (n = 5, * P<0.05 vs. vehicle; # P<0.05 vs. CM).