A comparative study of erythrocyte oxalate flux rate and urinary oxalate excretion in hyperoxaluric rats

Abstract

The present study was carried out to investigate the relation between erythrocyte oxalate flux rate and the pathogenesis of calcium oxalate renal stone disease having hyperoxaluria as the main risk factor. Male albino rats were made hyperoxaluric by feeding them diets viz. vitamin B6 deficient, vitamin B6 deficient + 51.7% galactose or fructose (serving as a sole source of carbohydrate), along with their respective pair-fed controls for 4 weeks. After 28 days of feeding, oxalate excretion was in the order of vitamin B6 deficient + galactose > galactose control > vitamin B6 deficient + fructose > vitamin B6 deficient > fructose control/vitamin B6 control. Whereas, transmembrane oxalate flux rate was in the order of vitamin B6 deficient > vitamin B6 deficient + galactose > vitamin B6 deficient + fructose > vitamin B6 control > galactose control > fructose control. No significant correlation (r = 0.304) was found between the urinary oxalate excretion and erythrocyte oxalate flux rates of various groups of rats. The study indicates that increase in oxalate excretion does not concomitantly increase the transmembrane oxalate flux in red blood cells.