Biochemical Changes and Liver Tissue Pathology in Weanling Wistar Albino Rats with Protein-Energy Malnutrition
October 2003
in “
PubMed
”
Studysummary This study in a rat model found that dietary rehabilitation with a high protein diet reversed symptoms of kwashiorkor, suggesting a role for free radicals in its development.
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The study investigated the biochemical changes and liver tissue pathology in 64 weanling male Wistar albino rats with protein-energy malnutrition (PEM). The rats were divided into groups receiving high protein chow, high protein maize starch, and low protein maize starch diets. After 4 weeks, the low protein group exhibited growth failure, hair loss, oedema, fatty liver, metabolic acidosis, hypoalbuminaemia, and anaemia, which are characteristic of human kwashiorkor. These symptoms were reversed by switching to a high protein diet. The study suggested that reduced plasma retinol, increased plasma alanine and aspartate aminotransferases, and fatty liver in the low protein group indicated a significant role for free radicals in the aetiopathogenesis of kwashiorkor.
