A comparison of the effects of etodolac and ibuprofen on renal haemodynamics, tubular function, renin, vasopressin and urinary excretion of albumin and alpha-glutathione-S-transferase in healthy subjects: a placebo-controlled cross-over study

What Was Tested

Researchers studied Glutathione and Vasopressin in this randomized controlled trial publication.

In this study, the researchers compared the effects of etodolac and ibuprofen on renal function, plasma renin, plasma arginine vasopressin and the urinary excretion of albumin and alpha-glutathione-S-transferase (alpha-GST).

Why It Was Studied

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are known to be potentially nephrotoxic agents.

NSAIDs inhibit the enzyme cyclo-oxygenase and thereby block the prostaglandin synthesis in the kidneys.

Who Took Part

The study group was 18 subjects.

By PubMed's age tags, the people studied were adults, both men and women.

How the Study Was Run

The researchers set it up as a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled and crossover study.

The subjects were allocated by chance, so the Glutathione group and the comparison group should start out alike.

As a double-blind Glutathione study, the assignments were hidden from both participants and investigators until the end.

Some subjects received a placebo instead of Glutathione, giving a reference point.

In the crossover set-up each of the subjects took both Glutathione and the comparison in turn, acting as their own control.

In addition, the researchers examined the effects on the urinary excretion of albumin and alpha-GST as markers of renal injury.

What Was Measured

PubMed files the paper under topics including Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal, Arginine Vasopressin, Creatinine, Etodolac, Glomerular Filtration Rate, Glutathione Transferase and Hemodynamics.

What This Means in Plain Language

The paper is a randomized, double-blind and placebo-controlled study of Glutathione and Vasopressin in 18 subjects.

With fewer than 40 people, it is a small study, so it is better read as an early signal for further research than as a settled answer.

The abstract goes on to report its results in about 11 sentences; this page does not restate them, so read the paper for the findings and their limits.

The publication is from 2000 (European journal of clinical pharmacology), a journal based in Germany.

More context: the Glutathione compound page and the Vasopressin compound page, all human trials.