Uranium Decorporation Effect of Potassium Sodium Hydrogen Citrate, Uralyt®, in Rats

Purpose: In case of internal exposure of high dose of uranium, deposition of uranium in the kidney can cause acute renal failure. Sodium bicarbonate is reported to be effective for uranium decontamination, and it is recommended to administer sodium bicarbonate until the urine reaches a pH of 8-9 in the NCRP report 161. We have already demonstrated that sodium bicarbonate of the dose level which induced urine alkalinization showed significant uranium decontamination effects in rats. In this report, another urine alkalinization agent, potassium sodium hydrogen citrate, Uralyt®, was evaluated whether the agent has decorporation effects for uranium contamination in rats. Materials and Methods: Male 8-week-old SD rats were intramuscularly administered with 1mg/kg of uranyl nitrate. Twenty minutes after the uranium challenge, Uralyt® (0.2, 0.6, 2g/kg) was orally administered to the rats. The urine pH was measured until 23h after the uranium treatment, and uranium contents of the kidneys were analyzed. In addition, to evaluate not only its decorporation effects but also its protective effect on uranium-induced renal toxicity, Uralyt® (0.2, 2g/kg) were administered to uranium-contaminated rats, and the animals were autopsied at 1, 3, and 7 days after the uranium administration. Result: High dose of Uralyt® showed significant increase of urine pH and urinary uranium excretion, and reduction of the uranium deposition in the kidneys, and also suppressed the uranium-induced renal toxicity. The low dose of Uralyt® did not show such effects. Discussion: Our study clearly demonstrated that Uralyt® had significant decorporation effects at the dose showing urine alkalinization in the uranium contaminated rat. Urine alkalinization is considered to be a useful way for uranium- decontamination therapy.AOCRP-