Background: Muscle injury (rhabdomyolysis) resulting from traumatic causes as traffic accidents and from non traumatic causes as hyperthermia, muscle ischemia and exposure to different renal toxic agents is one of the causes of acute renal failure (ARF). L-Carnitine, is an anti-oxidant used as a safe and effective nutritional supplement, is effective in preventing renal injury.
Objective: To elucidate the possible effect of L-Carnitine on glycerol-induced acute renal toxicity or failure.
Material and Methods: Sixty adult male albino rats were divided into three equal groups: Rats in group 1 served as a control and were given daily saline by intraperitonial (i.p.) injection for one week, those in groups 2  were injected with glycerol (10 mL/kg, i.m.).Concomitant with and 24 h after glycerol injection, L-Carnitine (200 mg/kg, i.p.) was administered to group 3. The specimens were prepared and stained routinely with hematoxylin and eosin for general morphological and structural study, and processed to obtain ultrathin sections which were stained and examined by transmission electron microscope (TEM).
Results: Histopathological findings in group 2 rats confirmed that there was renal impairment by cast formation and tubular degeneration and necrosis. All these factors significantly improved by L-Carnitine supplementation.
Conclusion: L-Carnitine, possibly via its antioxidant properties, ameliorated glycerol-induced myoglobinuric kidney injury. In this model, the protective effect of L-Carnitine treatment may provide a new insight into the treatment of rhabdomyolysis-related ARF.