Effects of Cereal Supplementation on Renal Function and Structure

The objective of this study is to explore the effects of cereal supplementation, which contains many nutritional factors including amino acids, on renal function and morphological structure in 5/6 nephrectomized rats. Male Spraque-Dawley rats, 250-300 g, were divided into sham control (Group 1) and nephrectomized (Group 2 and Group 3) groups. The 5/6 nephrectomy was performed by removal of the right kidney and 2/3 ligation of left renal artery. After surgery, the animal was kept in an individual cage for 5 weeks. Rats in Group 1 and Group 2 were fed with a normal protein diet only while those in Group 3 were fed with both the normal protein diet and cereal (0.06 g/ rat/ day). The cereal supplementation was started a day after surgery. After 5 weeks, all rats were subjected to renal function study and then their left kidneys were isolated for morphological study. There were no significant differences in body weight, blood pressure, and heart rate among groups. Cereal supplementation significantly increased (p < 0.05) plasma creatinine concentration, glomerular filtration rate, effective renal plasma flow, and urine flow rate in nephrectomized rats when compared to sham (Group 1) and untreated nephrectomized (Group 2) controls. In contrast, plasma urea concentration and morphological structure were not significantly modified by cereal supplementation in nephrectomized animals. These data suggest that feeding with a normal protein diet and cereal supplementation improves renal function without any morphological effect in 5/6 nephrectomized rats.