Effect of magnesium and essential fatty acids deficiency on alkaline phosphatase and lactate dehydrogenase activities in the liver and kidney of rats

Abstract

The effect of magnesium ions (Mg2+) and essential fatty acids (EFA) deficiency on the alkaline phosphatase and lactate dehydrogenase activities in the liver and kidney of rats have been studied. Twenty-one day old female weanling albino rats (Rattus norvegicus) with a mean weight of 26.0g were maintained on diets deficient in Mg2+, EFA or both. Control rats were fed diet adequate in magnesium and EFA. The control and the experimental rats were maintained on the various diets for seven weeks. The weights of the tissues of the deficient groups were significantly (P < 0.05) less than those of the control. Alkaline phosphatase activity was significantly (P < 0.05) increased by one-fifth and one-half in the liver and kidney for the EFA- and the double-deficient rats respectively than those of the control, while it was significantly (P < 0.05) reduced to three-quarter and four-fifth of the control rats in the liver and kidney respectively of the magnesium deficient rats. Lactate dehydrogenase activity was significantly (P < 0.05) increased in all the tissues of the nutritionally deficient rats. It is considered that both magnesium and EFA are essential nutrients for the normal growth and proper development of rats. EFA, like magnesium, may have a role to play in carbohydrate metabolism due to an increase in LDH activity in EFA deficiency. Both magnesium and EFA deficiency may cause tissues malfunction.
Key Words: Magnesium deficiency; Essential fatty acids (EFAs); EFA deficiency; Alkaline phosphatase; Lactate dehydrogenase