[Comparative study between the anti-lithogenic action of zinc and copper against oxalic lithiasis in the rat]

Intraperitoneal injection of sodium oxalate, at the dose of 8 mg/100 g of body weight, induced into rats oxalate and calcium deposits in renal tissue, compared to animals which received distilled water (respectively P less than 0.05; P less than 0.05). However, when a zinc solution was administered previously, at the dose of 24 micrograms/100 g of body weight, oxalate and calcium accumulation was found to be significantly lower than in the group treated exclusively with sodium oxalate. Similar results were found when the metal used was copper, but oxalate accumulation was found to be significantly higher in this group than in the group treated with zinc (P less than 0.01). Compared to reference animals, which received distilled water, oxalate accumulation was found to be significantly decreased in the groups treated with both zinc (P less than 0.001) and copper (P less than 0.01), whereas calcium accumulation was found to be similar. Microscopic examination showed calcium crystals only in the group treated with sodium oxalate, preferentially localized in the renal papilla. These results suggest that zinc and copper, when administered at the dose of 24 mu/100 g of body weight, completely protect against experimental lithiasis induced by oxalic acid. However, the inhibitory effect of zinc was more pronounced than that of copper, especially against oxalate accumulation.