Increased Nephrotoxicity after Combined Administration of Melamine and Cyanuric Acid in Rats.
- Author:
Dongsun PARK
1
;
Tae Kyun KIM
;
Young Jin CHOI
;
Sun Hee LEE
;
Dae Kwon BAE
;
Goeun YANG
;
Yun Hui YANG
;
Seong Soo JOO
;
Ehn Kyoung CHOI
;
Byeongwoo AHN
;
Jong Choon KIM
;
Kil Soo KIM
;
Yun Bae KIM
Author Information
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords: Melamine; cyanuric acid; nephrotoxicity; renal crystal
- MeSH: Animals; Blood Urea Nitrogen; Creatinine; Humans; Kidney; Male; No-Observed-Adverse-Effect Level; Organ Size; Rats; Triazines
- From:Laboratory Animal Research 2011;27(1):25-28
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:English
- Abstract: Renal toxicity by melamine in combination with cyanuric acid (1:1) was investigated. Male rats were orally administered melamine plus cyanuric acid (5, 50 or 400 mg/kg each) for 3 days. In contrast to a negligible effect by melamine alone (50 mg/kg, a no-observed-adverse-effect-level: NOAEL), co-administration with cyanuric acid markedly increased the concentrations of blood urea nitrogen and creatinine, as well as kidney weight. A high dose (400 mg/kg) of melamine plus cyanuric acid induced more severe kidney toxicity. The increased blood parameters for kidney toxicity and organ weight lasted longer than 4 days. Combined treatment with melamine and cyanuric acid (50-400 mg/kg each) resulted in many gold-brown crystals and toxic lesions in renal tubules, which were not observed in animals treated with melamine alone (50 mg/kg). These results indicate that only a 3-day exposure to melamine in combination with cyanuric acid causes severe renal damage, even at a NOAEL for melamine found in a 13-week toxicity study. Therefore, it is suggested that the tolerable daily intake or regulatory/management levels of melamine need to be re-considered for cases of co-exposure with cyanuric acid.
