Is allopurinol beneficial in the prevention of renal ischaemia-reperfusion injury in the rat?: evaluation by near-infrared spectroscopy.

1. The role of allopurinol in the protection of kidney function following ischaemia-reperfusion injury has been investigated using the novel technique of near-infrared spectroscopy. 2. An in vivo model of rat kidney ischaemia was used, with the expected falls in blood and tissue oxygenation seen and confirmed by near-infrared spectroscopy. 3. Allopurinol infusion increased the rate of reperfusion of oxygenated blood seen in control rats (P < 0.05). 4. Allopurinol enhanced the rate of tissue oxygenation during early reperfusion (P < 0.01). 5. This study provides further evidence for the proposed benefits of allopurinol in ischaemia-reperfusion injury. Furthermore, the potential of near-infrared spectroscopy as a technique of value in interventional studies of this nature is confirmed.