To compare the protective effects and study the mechanisms of three different remote ischemic conditioning in preventing IRI in the rat kidney.Methods Fifty healthy adult male Sprague–Dawley ratswere randomly assigned to five groups: sham, IRI, RIPerC,RIPostC, and RIPerC ? RIPostC. Right nephrectomy wasperformed initially in all rats. IRI was induced by occludingthe left renal artery for 60 min, followed by reperfusion for24 h. RIPerC, RIPostC, and RIPerC ? RIPostC wereinduced with 5-min ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) cycles usinga tourniquet on the right hind limb.