Protective Effects of N-Acetylcysteine, Carvedilol, and Paricalcitol in a Rat Model of Peritoneal Fibrosis

Aim: This study aimed to evaluate the potential protective effects of paricalcitol, N-acetylcysteine (NAC), and carvedilol in a rat model of chlorhexidine gluconate–induced peritoneal fibrosis.Material and Methods: Thirty-six female Wistar albino rats were randomized into six groups (n=6 each). Peritoneal fibrosis was induced with daily intraperitoneal chlorhexidine gluconate injections for 21 days. Treatment groups received paricalcitol, NAC, or carvedilol, alone or in combination. Serum TGF-β1 levels and histopathological parameters (peritoneal thickness, fibrosis, inflammation, vascularization) were assessed.Results: Serum TGF-β1 was significantly higher in the chlorhexidine group compared to controls (58.29 ± 4.40 vs. 49.06 ± 2.35 ng/mL, p<0.05). NAC significantly reduced TGF-β1 compared to chlorhexidine alone (46.76 ± 4.79 ng/mL, p<0.05). Peritoneal thickness was markedly increased in the chlorhexidine group (245 ± 27.3 µm vs. 22.3 ± 2.6 µm in controls, p<0.01) but attenuated by NAC (169.8 ± 30.8 µm, p<0.01) and carvedilol (146.5 ± 43.1 µm, p<0.01). Fibrosis and inflammation scores were also reduced in NAC and carvedilol groups (all p<0.05). Paricalcitol alone showed only partial and non-significant effects.Conclusions: NAC demonstrated consistent antifibrotic and anti-inflammatory effects, while carvedilol provided moderate benefit and paricalcitol had limited efficacy. These findings suggest that antioxidant therapy, particularly NAC, may represent a potential strategy for preserving peritoneal membrane integrity, though further studies are warranted.