Morphological alterations in the podocytes following chronic simultaneous administration of ethanol and acetaminophen in kidneys of adult wistar rats (rattus norvegicus)

Aims: Ethanol and acetaminophen have been separately reported with various effects on the functionality of the kidney but information on the level of impact when simultaneously administered chronically is scanty hence effects of chronic simultaneous administration of ethanol and acetaminophen were investigated. Place and duration of study: This research work was carried out in the Anatomy department of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology,Ogbomoso,Nigeria between 2010 and July 2011. Methodology: Forty adult wistar rats of average weight 200±3.21g, randomly distributed into 4 groups A,B, C and D (n=10 ).The animals were fed with standard mouse chow with water provided ad libitum. Animals in group A were given100mg/Kg.bwt. acetaminophen and 25% ethanol in 2% sucrose solution while group B animals were given 100mg/Kg.bwt. The group C animals received 25% ethanol in 2% sucrose solution and lastly the animals in group D were given only distilled water all for a period of 6 weeks. At the end of administration the animals were sacrificed by cervical dislocation and the wet weight of each kidney specimen was documented. The kidney specimens were fixed in 10% formol saline and then processed for routine histological techniques, sectioned at 6µ and stained with H&E. Results: Significant body weight loss P<0.05 was observed in the treatment groups A and B compared to the control. Distortion of the podocytes as well as pyramidal cells in the proximal and distal convoluted tubules were observed in all the treatment groups although more marked in group A than in group B compared to the normal cells in the controls. Conclusion: This may underline impaired filteration and tubular fluid reabsorbtion properties of the kidney.