1996 Volume 13 Pages 51-55
Aluminum (Al) is the third most abundant element in the earth’s crust, but the behavior of Al in human and other animals are still unknown. In this study, we investigated whether Al is incorporated in organs of experimental animals receiving Al compounds. Al was given to animals in the form of ion (Al3+) or its complex (aluminum-maltolate) . We used aluminum chloride (AlCl3・6H2O)in saline solution as aluminum ion and gave it to rats at the age of 5 and 13 weeks by intraperitoneal injection at a dose of 10 mg Al/kg body weight for 5 days. On the other hand, we used aluminum maltolate (AlM) as an aluminum complex, which was given to mice aged of 6 weeks by oral administration or free access to tap water containing AlM for 90 days. Organ distributions of both Al compounds exhibited similar tendency. Al was mainly accumulated in the liver and spleen. Especially, Al levels of the spleen and liver of animals receiving AlCl3 were significantly higher than those of control animals. But in the kidney no significant difference in Al accumulation was observed. We also found that Al accumulated in the brain domain of young rats who received AlCl3 injection and mice who received daily oral AlM or free access of drinking water containing AlM for a long-term. These results will be important to elucidate the physiological role of Al, in terms of the development of neurological diseases like Alzheimer’s disease.
