Effect of aluminium administration in the rat on aluminium buildup in brain, liver and kidney

Aim: The present study aimed to evaluate the expression profile of both dose-dependent and time-dependent tissue accumulation of aluminiumin vital body organs including the liver, brain and kidney in three groups of male albino Wistar rats. We compared groups of rats administered with aluminium chloride and aluminium hydroxide with control-group rats to observe aluminium levels in the tissue samples. Methods: Thirty male Wistar albino rats aged between 8-10 weeks with a body weight range of 150-205g were randomly allocated into three experimental groups of 10 animals each. Group 1 consisted of rats who received aluminium chloride (AlCl3) dissolved in drinking water at dose of 0.5 mg Al/ml. Group 2 rats were orally exposed to aluminium hydroxide (Al(OH)3) also dissolved in drinking water at doses of 0.5 mg Al/ml. Group 3 served as control. Aluminium accumulation in cerebral, hepatic and renal tissues was measured at specific time intervals. Results: There was diverse daily intake of aluminium by the animals. The groups of rats treated with aluminium chloride and aluminium hydroxide had significantly higher tissue aluminium levels than those of the control group. Aluminium concentration in the kidneys of aluminium hydroxide-treated rats (range 0.14–0.86 mg/g) was generally comparable to the rats in the control group(range 0.23–0.5 mg/g). After aluminium chloride ingestion, however, significant aluminium accumulation in the kidneys was found. Cerebral aluminium concentration in the control group 1 was within the range of 0.77–3.92 mg/g. Significantly high aluminium build up in the brain was noted in group 2 (range 2.93–8.15 mg/g). In comparison, aluminium concentration in the brains of rats after aluminium hydroxide treatment was twice lower (range 1.04–8.87 mg/g) and not significantly different from control rats.Notable elevation in aluminium concentration in the liver was observed only in aluminium chloride-treated rats (range 0.1–0.5 mg/g). Conclusion: In conclusion, the results of the current study displayed that aluminium administered orally in chloride and hydroxide forms is absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract of rats as demonstrated by tissue buildup in vital organs (brain, kidneys, liver). The extent of accumulation is contingent upon the chemical form of aluminium ingested and the type of tissue. Hence, vigilant attention is necessitated in patients requiring long-term treatment with aluminium-containing compounds as well as the possibility for buildup via dietary intake.