Abstract
Background: Aspartame is an artificial sweetener its consumption may cause some adverse health effects like metabolic syndrome, cancer and nephro-toxicity through oxidative stress of its metabolite. N acetyl cysteine (NAC) reduces kidney inflammation and improves renal function by improving microcirculation. Vitamin C is one of the most important antioxidant agents Aim of the study: to evaluate the protective effect of vitamin C and NAC in renal toxicity of aspartame either individually or in combination in albino rats Method: Rats were divided into 7 groups each group contains 6 rats administered the doses daily via gavages for 3 months; Group I: Negative control group, Group II: ascorbic acid in a dose of 200 mg/kg b.wt/day, Group III: NAC in a dose of 600 mg/kg body weight (b.wt)/day, Group IV: Aspartame (ASP) in a dose of 100 mg/kg b.wt. Group V: ASP plus ascorbic acid, Group VI: ASP plus NAC, Group VII: ASP plus a combination of NAC and ascorbic acid. The evaluation was by histopathological examination of kidney (by light microscope), biochemical evaluation. Results: Histopathological examination of group receiving aspartame showed marked chronic inflammatory cells infiltrates in the interstitial tissues with marked hydropic degeneration and pyknotic nuclei associated with increase level of serum urea and creatinine, Treatment by any of the Vitamin C or NAC showed similar picture of kidney improvement in the form of mild to moderate chronic inflammatory cells infiltrates in the interstitial tissues with mild hydropic degeneration, and decrease in level of seum urea and creatinine compared to asprtame treated group. Combined treatment of vitamin C and NAC with aspartame resulted in similar degree of histopathological recovery as when vitamin C and NAC used separately with aspartame with non significant change in level of seum urea and creatinine. Conclusion: vitamin C and NAC individually have protective effect of nephrotoxicity induced by aspartame. There are no statically different changes on combination of both vitamin C and NAC compared to when used individually to protect against aspartame induced renal changes.