Evaluation of Endogenous Antioxidants and Kidney Function Indices in Albino Mice Infected with Plasmodium berghei and Treated with Sodium Bicarbonate

Malaria is an infectious disease that is transmitted through mosquito bites and is endemic especially in Sub-Saharan Africa. The current study aimed at evaluating the antioxidants and kidney function indices in albino mice infected with P. berghei and treated with sodium bicarbonate. Twenty mice were randomly divided into five groups of four mice each. Groups 1was the normal control, group 2 was infected with P. berghei, not treated groups (3, 4 and 5) were administered 84mg/kg b.w of sodium bicarbonate once, twice and thrice per day respectively for three days. Serum samples were collected and analyzed for MDA, GPx, SOD, CAT, GHS, Na+, K+, Cl-, HCO3-, Urea and Creatinine following standard methods. MDA concentrations were significantly (p<0.05) higher in all the test groups compared to the control. GPx activity decreased significantly (p<0.05) in group 2 and increased significantly (p<0.05) in group 5 compared to the control group. SOD activity decreased significantly (p<0.05) in group 3 and increased significantly (p<0.05) in groups 2, 4 and 5 compared to the control. Catalase decreased significantly (p<0.05) in groups 2, 4 and 5 compared to the control. GSH increased significantly (p<0.05) in all the test groups compared to the control. Sodium ion was significantly (p<0.05) higher in group 2,3 and 4 compared to the control. Potassium ion was significantly (p<0.05) higher in all the test groups compared to the control. Chloride ion increased significantly (p<0.05) in group 5 and decreased significantly (p<0.05) in group 3 and 4 compared to the control (75.37±0.707). Urea concentration increased significantly (p<0.05) in groups 2,4,5 and decreased significantly (p<0.05) in group 3 compared to the control (37.60±0.707). Similarly, creatinine increased significantly (p<0.05) in groups 2, 4 and 5 but decreased significantly (p<0.05) in group 3 compared to the control. This study revealed that infection of mice with P. berghei may have posed a massive metabolic stress on the kidney as indicated by elevated biochemical parameters although this could not be seen in the histological studies.