Abstract: AimTo investigate the effect of sodium ferulate (SF) on glycerol-induced renal injury. MethodsGlycerol solution 50% was injected intramuscularly to establish a model of acute tubular necrosis in mice. SF was administered intraperitoneally at the dose of 100-200 mg·kg^-1 at the beginning of establishing the model and its effect was observed by monitoring renal function, antioxidative functions and renal pathologic histology. ResultsAt 6 and 72 h after glycerol injection, SF treatment (100-200 mg·kg^-1) showed significant and dose-dependent antagonistic actions on the increment of blood urea nitrogen (BUN), creatinine (Cr), and N-acetyl-β-glucosaminidase (NAG) induced by glycerol. The increase of renal malondialdehyde (MDA) content and the decrease of glutathione content, glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), glutathione S-transferase (GST), catalase (Cat) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities resulting from glycerol injection were remarkably inversed by SF at the dose of 200 mg·kg^-1. Meanwhile, improvement of the renal histology was observed as well. ConclusionSF showed beneficial effect on glycerol-induced acute tubular necrosis due to its antioxidative action.