Histopathological Effects of 2.45 Gigahertz Electromagnetic Radiation on the Rat Kidney, and Protective Effects of Vitamin C

Objective: to investigate the effects of electromagnetic radiation (emr) on the kidneys based on histopathological changes of renal damage, and to investigate the ameliorating effects of vitamin c (ascorbic acid) against emr-induced renal damage in rats. material-method: eighteen female sprague-dawley rats were divided into three groups of six rats each. first group was the control group; these rats were kept in their cages without stress or electromagnetic radiation exposure. second group was exposed to 2.45 gigahertz (ghz) electromagnetic radiation for 30 days. third group was also exposed to 2.45 ghz electromagnetic radiation for 30 days (1 h / day) but received vitamin c 250 mg / kg – 5 cc daily orally 24 hours prior to the first exposure and daily throughout the experiment. all rats underwent nephrectomy for histopathological examination. results: there were no pathological findings in the control group. significant pathological changes were observed in emr group, including tubular and glomerular damage (p<0.05). interstitial and vascular damage was not significantly different between emr group and emr + vitamin c group (p>0.05). tubular and glomerular damage was less severe in emr + vitamin c group than in emr group (p<0.05). there was no significant difference between the control group and emr + vitamin c group in terms of tubular, glomerular, interstitial, or vascular damage (p>0.05). conclusions: electromagnetic radiation-induced tubular and glomerular damage in the kidney was almost completely reversed with the administration of vitamin c before electromagnetic radiation exposure.