Nickel is an abundant carcinogenic and nephrotoxic
metal whose activity leads to renal impairment. Previous studies have shown a protective effect of simultaneous
vitamin C administration on acute and chronic
nickel toxicity. However, very little research relating to the effect of
vitamin C pretreatment in preventing
nickel-induced acute nephrotoxicity is available. Therefore, the present study aimed to determine the efficiency of
vitamin C (VC) pretreatment in preventing acute renal toxicity of
nickel. Mice were pretreated orally with
vitamin C (16.6 mg kg-1
body weight, b.w.) for seven consecutive days, prior to intraperitoneal (i.p.) administration of
nickel chloride at different doses (3, 5, and 10 mg Ni kg-1 b.w.) for an exposure period of 24 hours. Thereafter, animals were killed and kidney tissue and blood samples were taken for histological examination and
biochemical marker analyses.
Vitamin C pretreatment alone did not alter the levels of serum kidney markers (
creatinine,
urea, and
uric acid). However, treatment with Ni alone showed a significant increase in the levels of serum
creatinine,
urea, and
uric acid with marked necrotic epithelial cells and infiltration by inflammatory cells in kidney sections as compared to the control group. Pretreatment with
vitamin C and treatment with Ni at all doses tested for 24 hours showed a significant decrease in the levels of serum
creatinine,
urea, and
uric acid, as well as an improvement in histological changes compared to those previously seen in the group treated with Ni alone. It is concluded that
vitamin C pretreatment effectively improved renal function and tissue damage caused by
nickel.