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3663

The Effects of Chronic Aspartame Administration on the Kidney of Albino Rat

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Last updated: 22 Jan 2023

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Abstract

Background: Aspartame is a widely employed synthetic sweetener used in diet control and by diabetic patients. Its safety based on the findings of the previous studies showed controversy. Aim of the Work: The aim of this study was to demonstrate the chronic effect of aspartame on the structure of the kidney in the newborn, adult and old albino rats. Materials and Methods: In this work, 60 albino rats were used, 40 of which were three month old, while the remaining 20 rats were twelve month old at the beginning of the study. They were divided into 3 groups: A, B, C and every group was subdivided into 2 subgroups; control and treated. Group A included 20 female albino rats aged three months. The treated subgroup A received aspartame in a dose of 20 mg/kg/day dissolved in tap water through an intragastric tube for three months pregestational and during the gestational period. The offspring numbers, body and kidney weights were estimated and statistically analyzed and their kidneys were examined histopathologically. Group B included 20 adult albino rats aged three months. Group C included 20 albino rats aged twelve months. The treated animals of groups B and C were given aspartame in the same dose and by the same route as in group A for six months. The kidney specimens from all groups were processed for light microscopic examination using Haematoxylin and Eosin stain. Toluidine blue stain was used for the semithin sections of the adult rat's kidney specimens. Electron microscopic study of the proximal convoluted tubules of the adult kidney was done. Results: The results of this study revealed a delayed development of the kidney of the newborn rat with the maternal aspartame administration in addition to degenerative changes in the renal corpuscles and tubules. The statistical analysis of the newborns' body and kidney weights showed significant reduction. The kidneys of aspartame-treated adult rats showed degenerative changes affecting the renal corpuscles and tubules. The renal corpuscles had shrunken glomerular capillary tuft and widened Bowman`s space. Some of which revealed irregularity of Bowman`s capsule. The renal tubules showed dilatation of the tubular lumen, dense nuclei and vacuolated cytoplasm with sloughed epithelial lining cells. Congested and dilated blood vessels were also observed. The ultrastructural study of the proximal convoluted tubular lining cells revealed an extensive damage of the cytoplasmic organelles and the brush border.  Aspartame-treated aged rat's kidney showed massive degenerative changes in comparison to the other treated groups. All the renal tubules showed thinning of their lining epithelium with dilated lumen. Some of which had destructed or thickened basement membrane. Others showed accumulation of dense acidophilic casts inside the lumen. Dilated and congested blood vessels with vacuolated cytoplasm were noticed. Conclusion: It was concluded from this study that aspartame had nephrotoxic effects on the newborn, adult and aged rats

DOI

10.21608/ejana.2011.3663

Keywords

Aspartame, kidney, rat, offspring, aged

Authors

First Name

Mohamed

Last Name

Gabr

MiddleName

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Affiliation

Human Anatomy and Embryology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Assiut University

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City

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Orcid

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First Name

Manal

Last Name

El-Meligy

MiddleName

-

Affiliation

Human Anatomy and Embryology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Assiut University

Email

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City

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Orcid

-

First Name

Haidy

Last Name

Mohamed

MiddleName

-

Affiliation

Human Anatomy and Embryology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Assiut University

Email

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City

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Orcid

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First Name

Omnia

Last Name

Mohamed

MiddleName

-

Affiliation

Human Anatomy and Embryology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Assiut University

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Orcid

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Volume

34

Article Issue

2

Related Issue

622

Issue Date

2011-07-01

Receive Date

2017-08-07

Publish Date

2011-07-01

Page Start

85

Page End

102

Print ISSN

1110-2144

Online ISSN

2090-259X

Link

https://ejana.journals.ekb.eg/article_3663.html

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https://ejana.journals.ekb.eg/service?article_code=3663

Order

7

Type

Original Article

Type Code

231

Publication Type

Journal

Publication Title

The Egyptian Journal of Anatomy

Publication Link

https://ejana.journals.ekb.eg/

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Article

Created At

22 Jan 2023