Abstract:
Objective To study intoxication mechanism in liver and kidney induced by HgCl2, and to observe the protective effects of seabuckthorn oi(l SBO).
Methods Twenty-four Wistar rats were randomly divided into 3 groups:control group rats were injected subcutaneously with 0.9% saline; HgCl2 group rats were injected subcutaneously with 2.5 mg/kg HgCl2; and SBO+HgCl2 group rats were given SBO 5 mL/kg by gavage two hours before subcutaneous injection with HgCl2 2.5 mg/kg. Twelve hour urine was collected after 12 hours of HgCl2 injection, while the blood, kidney and liver were collected after 48 hours of the injection. Mercury contents in liver, renal cortex and urine, N-acetyl-β-D-glucosaminidase(NAG), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), lactate dehydrogenase(LDH) activities, protein and blood urea nitrogen(BUN) contents in urine were determined. Reduced glutathione hormone (GSH), malondialdehyde (MDA), protein contents and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px)as well as superoxide dismutase (SOD)activities in the liver and renal cortex were also determined.
Results Compared with the control group, mercury levels in liver, renal cortex and urine in HgCl2 group and SBO+HgCl2 group were significantly increased (P<0.01). Compared with HgCl2 group, urinary mercury levels in SBO+HgCl2 group was increased(P<0.05). NAG, ALP, LDH activity and urinary protein, BUN levels in urine of HgCl2 group were all significantly higher than those of control group (P<0.01). NAG, ALP activity and BUN levels in urine of SBO+HgCl2 group were lower than those of HgCl2 group, P<0.05, P<0.01, and P<0.01 respectively. Compared with the control group, GSH contents, GSH-Px activity, SOD activity in both liver and kidney decreased (P<0.01), but MDA contents increased (P<0.05 or P<0.01). GSH-Px activity in liver of SBO+HgCl2 group increased significantly than that of HgCl2 group (P<0.01).
Conclusion Injection of 2.5 mg/kg HgCl2 could induce acute damage both in liver and kidney in rats. Seabuckthorn oil had an effect to promote mercury excretion from urine, hence showed some protective effect on mercury induced oxidative damage in the liver.