Lithium Carbonate-Induced Nephrotoxicity in Albino Rats and the Possible Protective Effect of Vitamin E: Histological and Immunohistochemical Study

Bondok, Adel A.; Saleh, Dalia M.; Erfan, Omnia S.; Hassan, Hend M.

doi:10.21608/ejana.2018.43507

Lithium Carbonate-Induced Nephrotoxicity in Albino Rats and the Possible Protective Effect of Vitamin E: Histological and Immunohistochemical Study

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

¹ Professor of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, Mansoura University.

² Professor of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, Mansoura University. Corresponding Author.

10.21608/ejana.2018.43507

Abstract

ABSTRACT
Lithium containing drugs are the drugs of choice for the treatment of bipolar disorder, preventing recurrence and suicide attempts. Recently, lithium may be used to encourage growth of gray matter in the cerebral cortex and to prevent progression of Alzheimer's disease, senile dementia and Parkinson's disease.
The present study was designed to study the toxic effect of lithium on albino rat kidneys and the possible protective effect of vitamin E.
Thirty-two adult male albino rats were used. They were divided into 4 groups of eight rats each (control group, lithium carbonate treated group, lithium carbonate plus vitamin E treated group and vitamin E treated group). In the experimental groups, lithium treated group received daily intraperitoneal injection of 50 mg/kg of lithium carbonate dissolved in 0.9% NaCL divided in 2 doses for 4 weeks. Lithium and vitamin E treated group received lithium carbonate (50 mg/kg) and intraperitoneal injection of vitamin E (50 mg/kg) dissolved in olive oil once daily for 4 weeks.
Blood samples were collected from all groups at the end of the experiment for serum creatinine level measurement. Kidneys were dissected rapidly, fixed in 10% formalin, processed and stained with haematoxylin and eosin, PAS, Masson trichrome stains and with immunohistochemical stains for bax and αsma.
Kidneys of lithium carbonate treated rats showed degenerated renal tubules, distorted glomeruli with loss of apical brush border of the proximal convoluted tubules and high expression of bax and αsma stains. A significant increase in the serum creatinine levels and a significant decrease in the diameter of renal glomeruli were observed 4 weeks after lithium administration.
Addition of vitamin E to lithium resulted in less renal degenerative changes and less expression of bax and αsma stains with a highly significant decrease in serum creatinine levels compared with lithium carbonate treated group.
It was concluded that the harmful effect of lithium on the kidneys should be closely monitored in patients taking lithium containing drugs and it could be attenuated by additional use of vitamin E.

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