Nephro- and hepatotoxicity of uranyl acetate in 18-week chronic administration to rats

Abstract

The paper presents the results of an experimental study of the hepato- and nephrotoxicity of uranyl acetate dihydrate (UA) in 18-week chronic intragastric administration in doses of 0,5 and 5,0 mg/kg of the element. The study was performed on 45 male mongrel rats. A dose-dependent change in laboratory biochemical parameters of blood and urine of rats treated with the toxicant was revealed. Nephrotoxicity is characterized by multiple disorders of the functions of the proximal and distal tubules and glomeruli of nephrons. A pathoanatomic study revealed gross violations in the liver and kidney cytoarchitectonics of rats treated with UA in a dose of 5,0 mg/ kg. In liver, there were uneven regenerative phenomena in the form of nucleomegaly, the development of granular protein dystrophy of various degrees (up to necrosis), periportal lymphohistiocytic infiltration and periportal fibrosis. In kidneys, there were the development of chronic diffuse tubulointerstitial nephrofibrosis with significant lymphoplasmocytic infiltration, atrophy of the epithelium of the proximal and distal tubules, cystic transformation of the renal parenchyma.