Protective effects of KW-3902, a novel adenosine A1-receptor antagonist, against gentamicin-induced acute renal failure in rats.

We investigated the possible renal protective effects of KW-3902 (8-(noradamantan-3-yl)-1,3-dipropylxanthine), an adenosine A1-receptor antagonist, against gentamicin (GM)-induced acute renal failure (ARF) in rats. ARF was induced by subcutaneous injection of GM at 80 mg/kg/day for 12 days. KW-3902 (0.001-0.1 mg/kg, p.o., twice daily) attenuated the increases of serum creatinine and urea nitrogen and the decrease of creatinine clearance in rats treated with GM. In contrast, furosemide and trichlormethiazide aggravated the GM-induced nephrotoxicity. These results suggest that KW-3902 can ameliorate the GM-induced ARF and that endogenous adenosine may be involved in GM-induced ARF via the adenosine A1-receptor.