Protective Effect of Lactoferrin against Chromium Induced Adverse Renal Changes in Rats: Oxidative Stress Theory

Among the toxic metals, chromium (Cr)  which is a naturally occurring heavy metal commonly enters the environment through the effluents from various industries. Kidney disease is often cited as an adverse effect of chromium. We aimed to assess chromium-induced pathophysiological adverse renal damage and determine the potential protective effects of co-therapy with Lactoferrin (LF) in male albino rats. Forty male albino Wister rats were used in this study, allocated into 4 groups (n = 10 each). Group-I (control group) and received 1% DMSO; group-II (LF group); group-III [Potassium Dichromate (PDC) group] and group-IV (PDC+LF group). Biochemical measurements of renal function (urea and creatinine), serum glucose and Total Antioxidant capacity (TAO) were performed using colorimetric methods. Renal tissue samples were used for histopathological examinations using light and transmission electron microscopic photomicrographs. There were significantly higher serum urea, creatinine and glucose with significantly lower TAO among PDC group (69.4 mg/dl ±44.15, 0.566 mg/dl ±0.13, 140.8 mg/dl ±50.27 and 6.22±2.09 mmol/ml) compared to both the control group (45.2±7.44, 0.492±0.07, 113±15.23 and 8±.0.84) and LF group (38.8±7.49, 0.402±0.03, 110.8±27.95 and 8.02±1.05), p˂0.05 for all. In addition,  significanly lower serum urea and higher TAO among PDC+LF group (45.2±4.02 and 7.94±1.53) were evidenent compared to PDC group, p˂0.05 for both. There were histological similarities in both control and LF groups with significant structural damage of the kidneys of PDC group and significant improvment of such damage in PDC+LF treated group. Lactoferrin could have a renoprotective effect against drug induced nephrotoxicity via its antioxidant property.