Effect of rivaroxaban on DNA damage in an ischemia-reperfusion model: Evaluation of 8‑OHdG levels

Ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury is a notable cause of tissue damage, particularly in patients with peripheral artery disease. Rivaroxaban is a novel oral anticoagulant that can reduce cardiovascular events. However, its potential antioxidant properties remain poorly understood. Therefore, the present study aimed to investigate the effect of rivaroxaban on oxidative DNA injury in a rat model of I/R injury by measuring 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) levels, a key biomarker of oxidative DNA injury. A total of 21 female Wistar albino rats were randomly divided into three groups, namely the sham, control (I/R) and rivaroxaban treatment (3 mg/kg/day) groups. Following treatment for 10 days, hind limb ischemia was induced in rats for 1 h, followed by reperfusion for 2 h. Subsequently, blood and skeletal muscle samples were collected and analyzed for oxidative stress markers, including 8-OHdG, glutathione (GSH), oxidized GSH and malondialdehyde (MDA), using ELISA and high-performance liquid chromatography. The results demonstrated that compared with those in the sham group, rats in the control group exhibited significantly elevated 8-OHdG, GSSG and MDA levels, coupled with decreased GSH levels. By contrast, treatment with rivaroxaban notably reversed the elevated 8-OHdG and MDA levels whilst restoring GSH levels compared with those in the control group, indicating an improved oxidative status. Overall, these findings suggested that in addition to its established anticoagulant properties, rivaroxaban can also protect against I/R-induced oxidative DNA injury.