INTERACTION BETWEEN DIETARY CALCIUM AND LEAD TO MODIFY BIOCHEMICAL ASPECTS OF RENAL AND LIVER FUNCTIONS IN GROWING RATS

Abstract

Fourty eight growing male albino rats were studied. They included six groups of 8 rats each. Five of them fed a diet containing 50.1 mg lead II OOg diet and the last group was control (free from lead). All rats were subjected to determination of renal function tests, liver function tests, serum total protein and lead concentration in liver, kidney, tibia and urine.

• There was a significant decrease in food intake, feed efficiency and weight gain in group 2 fed lead plus low-calcium diet. They significantly increased with increasing calcium percentage. • There were significant decreases in absolute weights of both liver and spleen in group 2 fed lead plus low calcium diet. They significantly increased with increasing calcium percentage. • There were significant increases in relative weights of liver, brain and kidney in group 2 fed lead plus low-calcium diet. • There were no significant differences in absolute brain weight, absolute kidney weight and relative spleen weight between the different experimental groups. • There were significant decreases in haemoglobin and hematocrit in group 2 fed lead plus low-calcium diet. They increased gradually with increasing