Effects of chronic grayanotoxin-1 administration on hepatic and renal functions in rats

Abstract

Effects of chronic grayanotoxin-I (GTX-I) administration have been investigated on hepatic and renal functions in rats. Fourtyfive 12-15 week old Swiss Albino male rats, weighing 170-300 g were housed at 23-25°C and fed with standard diet for a period of 3 months. The rats were divided into 3 groups of 15 animals each. Animals in group 1 received i.p. GTX-I at a dose of 0.075 mg/kg daily for 3 months. Group 2 received i.p. GTX-I at a dose of 0.15 mg/kg daily and control rats received i.p. saline solution (0.9%) only, for 3 months. At the end of the 3 month experimental duration, urine analysis (leukocytes, urobilinogen, protein, pH, blood, ketone, glucose, nitrites), was performed. Then the animals were sacrified and serum was obtained for the following determinations: the activities of glutamic pyruvic transaminase (GPT), γ-glutamyl transferase (γ-GT), isoenzymes of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) (as a percentage of total LDH) and transferrin, ceruloplasmin, total protein concentrations. In addition histopathologic changes in liver, kidney and heart were examined. Findings of urine analysis showed that the chronic GTX-I administration produced proteinuria and hematuria and decrease in level of urine ketone bodies. It was also observed that there were increases in serum GPT and LDH4 activities, but decrease in serum total protein levels occured in a dose releated manner. There was no significant histopathologic alterations, detectable by light microscopy, in examined tissues.