PROTECTIVE EFFECTS OF L-ARGININE AGAINST AFB1-INDUCED RENAL OXIDATIVE STRESS AND HISTOLOGICAL CHANGES IN MICE

Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) is a mycotoxin that causes toxic effects on some organs. It helps the formation of the reactive oxygen species (ROS) which in turn cause oxidative damage and lipid peroxidation. L. arginine is an essential amino acid that has the ability to decrease ROS production that resulted from the oxidative stress. Therefore, the present study was designed to examine the possible role of L. arginine against AFB I -induced renal oxidative stress and histolohical changes in male mice. Forty male mice were equally divided into four groups. Groups 1 contained mice that received normal saline, group 2 contained mice that received single nephroprotective dose of 300 mg/kg of L. arginine, group 3 contained mice that received a single dose of 50 mg/kg of AFBI and group 4 contained mice that received AFB I followed immediately by L-arginine at the same previous doses, respectively. After 2 weeks, the mice were anesthetized and the data were collected. The results showed that the mice that treated with AFB 1 showed an increase in the levels of the urea, creatinine, total protein and globulin. A decrease in the kidney superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and reduced glutathione (GSH) and an increase in the kidney malondialdehyde (MDA) and apoptotic cell levels were also determined. Furthermore, some deterioration changes in the renal glomerulei were observed. Interestingly, the mice that treated with AFB 1 followed by L. arginine showed an improvement in the previous biochemical and histological parameters. This improvement may be related to the antioxidant properties of L. arginine that may reduce the oxidative stress and apoptotic cells levels in the kidney and as a result improve its histological structure.