Abstract
Kidney plays a central role in maintaining the composition of body fluids by regulating water, NaCl, acid base, and solute reabsorption and excretion, respectively. The study was done to investigate the physiological role of thiamine in regulation of renal response to metabolic acidosis induced by NH4Cl in adult male rats. For this experiment, fifty rats were used. They were divided into five groups. Control rats received basal diet; rats fed on basal diet mixed with NH4Cl (4g NH4Cl/100g diet) to induce severe metabolic acidosis, rats fed on basal supplemented diet with thiamine (600 mg/kg diet), and rats fed on basal supplemented diet with thiamine before and after induction of metabolic acidosis by NH4Cl for 14 days. The results showed that the plasma levels of chloride, urea, and creatinine were significantly elevated in metabolic acidosis induced by NH4Cl. Thiamine supplementation at high dose before or after induction improved the chloride values. Feeding diets supplemented with thiamine modulated the plasma sodium and bicarbonate values. Supplementation with vitamin B1 as preventive agent significantly restored these changes to near control value and when used as curative agent improved plasma creatinine and urea levels. Urinary pH and potassium levels were decreased significantly in metabolic acidotic rats when compared to all experimental groups. Urinary ammonia and aldosterone levels were decreased by thiamine supplementation as protective agent. Supplementation with vitamin B1 as preventive and curative agents, restored the affected parameters and regulate the response of kidney to metabolic acidosis induced by ammonium chloride.