Influence of Dietary Factors on Aluminium Absorption and Retention in the Brain and Bone of Rats

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Abstract
Young adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were treated by gavage for 10 wk (3-times weekly) with Al 100 mg/kg body wt in the form of Al-hydroxide (Novalucol), Al-citrate, Al-hydroxide together with citric acid or with tap water (controls). Male rats aged 13 mo. were gavaged for 11 wk 3-times a week with black currant soup (0.8 ml/kg body wt) stored 19 days in either Al or stainless steel saucepans. The brain cortex, bone and blood (young adults only) of each rat were analyzed for Al using graphite furnace atomic absorption spectroscopy. The rats treated with Al-citrate and, in particular, rats treated with Al-hydroxide + citric acid showed a significant increase of Al concentrations in all the tissues studied. In the latter group the mean Al concentrations were elevated at 0.039 .mu.g Al/g wet weight (controls 0.005 .mu.g/g) 0.092 .mu.g/g (0.016 .mu.g/g) and 26.6 .mu.g/g (0.22 .mu.g/g) in the blood, brain and bone, respectively. After treatment with Al-hydroxide alone only the bone showed a moderate increase of Al-concentration. No significant differences were found in the brain and bone Al levels of the rats given fruit soup from Al saucepans (containing 17 mg Al/l) or stainless steel saucepans (0.4 mg Al/l).