Nephrocalcinosis in Female Rats Fed Diets Containing Either Pectin, Galacturonic Acid or Glucose

Problem statement: In our earlier study, dietary pectin has been shown to promote nephrocalcinosis in rats when compared with the feeding of cellulose. It was not known whether this pectin effect relates to its structure or to its monosaccharide component, galacturonic acid. Approach: The effects of dietary pectin, galacturonic acid and glucose on kidney calcification were studied in female rats. The purified diets used had similar concentrations of calcium, magnesium and phosphorus. Results: It was confirmed that the feeding of pectin (10%, w/w) versus cellulose in diets containing 0.4% phosphorus results in significantly greater calcium and phosphorus concentrations in kidney. The new finding was that pectin had a nephrocalcinogenic effect when compared with either galacturonic acid or glucose. Conclusion: The stimulatory effect of pectin on the development of nephrocalcinosis is specific and is related to its structure rather than to its galacturonic acid component.