Effects of Dietary Protein Sources on the Progression of Renal Failure without Dialysis in Rats

Abstract

The quality and quantity of protein are essential factors that determine nutritional significance of a protein. The aim of this study was to compare the effects of several animal and plant proteins on the progression of renal failure in rats. Ninety male rats were allocated into nine groups and were fed with a basal diet containing different protein sources for 12 weeks. Two groups comprised of a negative control group and a positive control group (with induced renal failure) fed on the basal diet. Rats in the remaining seven groups were fed using different diets containing 10% protein derived from fish, meat, chicken, egg, soybean, lentil, and white bean. Biological, biochemical and histological studies were done at the end of the study. Protein content was highest for the chicken extract (87.36%), followed by meat (85.67%), egg (78.85%), and fish (78.55%). Body weight gain increased as food intake decreased in all groups other than the positive control group, and the food efficiency ratio paralleled food intake. Rats fed the fish protein diet had lower blood urea nitrogen (28.0 mg/dL), uric acid (3.5mg/dL) levels compared with the other groups. There were no significant differences in creatinine levels between rats fed the animal protein (fish and meat) or the plant protein (soy and white bean) diets. Histological studies revealed no abnormal renal features in rats fed the fish or soybean protein diets. Therefore, the results of the study suggest that a diet containing fish protein may delay the progression of chronic renal failure relative to other protein diets.