title: Biochemical changes and liver tissue pathology in weanling Wistar albino rats with protein-energy malnutrition (PEM).
abstract: Kwashiorkor remains a significant cause of childhood morbidity and mortality in tropical regions. However, there are relatively few reproducible animal models to elucidate the aetiopathogenesis, biochemical derangements, and morphological changes of this condition. In the present study, 64 weanling male Wistar albino rats were divided into high protein chow, high protein maize starch, and low protein maize starch groups. After 4 weeks on these respective diets, animals on the low protein diet were commenced on the high protein maize starch diet, while those in the other groups were continued on their original diets for a further period of 5 weeks each The low protein group of animals initially showed growth failure, hair loss, oedoma, fatty liver, metabolic acidosis, hypoalbuminaemia, and anaemia, which are characteristic features of human kwashiorkor. These changes were all reversed by dietary rehabilitation with the high protein diet. The reduced plasma retinol, increased plasma alanine and aspartate aminotransferases and fatty liver observed in the low protein group of animals probably suggest an important role for free radicals in the aetiopathogenesis of kwashiorkor.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical Pathology, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Nigeria.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Etukudo
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Agbedana
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Akang
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Osifo
mesh_terms: D000138:Acidosis / Q000209:etiology; D000409:Alanine / Q000097:blood; D000505:Alopecia / Q000209:etiology; D000740:Anemia / Q000209:etiology; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases / Q000097:blood; D001706:Biopsy; D004044:Dietary Proteins / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004487:Edema / Q000209:etiology; D005234:Fatty Liver / Q000209:etiology; D005609:Free Radicals / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000378:metabolism; D006130:Growth Disorders / Q000209:etiology; D034141:Hypoalbuminemia / Q000209:etiology; D007732:Kwashiorkor / Q000150:complications / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013213:Starch / Q000008:administration & dosage; D014801:Vitamin A / Q000097:blood; D014886:Weaning
chemical_list: D004044:Dietary Proteins; D005609:Free Radicals; D014801:Vitamin A; D013213:Starch; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases; D000409:Alanine