The effect of a high fat diet (HFD) on renal function, renal mitochondrial function and intrarenal oxygen-free radial scavenging activity were examined in the ischemia-reperfusion model of the rat kidney. Whether of not a novel lipophilic antioxidant (BO653) could minimize this effect in vivo was also investigated. Thirty minutes renal ischemia was introduced by vascular clamp in rats with or without HFD (cholesterol 1.25%). Some of the HFD rats received BO653 by gastric gavage. Creatinine clearance (Ccr) was measured 24 hours following the injury. Mitochondrial oxygen consumption and thiobarbituric acid reactive substance (TBARS), superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPX) and alpha-tocopherol were measured in the kidney before, 30 min ischemia and 30 min after reperfusion. HFD significantly reduced Ccr after ischemia-reperfusion (45% decreased compared to normal diet), which was ameliorated by BO653. Thirty-minute ischemia deteriorated the mitochondrial function in the normal diet (ND) group, high fat diet (HFD) group and high fat diet + BO653 (HFD + BO) group. Thirty-minute reperfusion ameliorated the mitochondrial function in all those groups. The kidney content of TBARS was not increased after the ischemia-reperfusion in all these groups. In the HFD group, the kidney content of GPX was higher than in the ND group during ischemia-reperfusion, but in the HFD group, the kidney content of SOD was significantly decreased after the thirty-minute ischemia. Thirty-minute ischemia decreased the kidney content of alpha-tocopherol in the HFD group, which was recovered by the thirty-minute reperfusion. In conclusion, a high fat diet deteriorates ischemia-reperfusion injury of the rat kidney and BO653 ameliorated this effect judged by creatinine clearance and renal mitochondrial function. Reperfusion injury could not be confirmed in the present model based on the results of lipid peroxidation and oxygen-free radical scavenging enzyme activity.