Objective To observe the renal damage induced by mercuric chloride, and to investigate the protection effect of procyanidin on the renal damage induced by mercuric chloride.
Methods Thirty Wistar rats were randomly divided into five groups by weight. Soya bean oil was given to the rats in first, second, third and fourth groups via gavage, and 450mg/kg procyanidin was given to the fifth group by gavage. After 2 hours, the first group was injected subcutaneously with normal saline, the second, third, fourth and the fifth groups were injected subcutaneously with different dose of mercuric chloride (2.2 μmol/kg, 4.4 μmol/kg, 8.8 μmol/kg, 8.8μmol/kg respectively). The treatment were done again on the second day. After 24 hours of the last injection finished, 24-hour urine were collected to determine the content of urinary Hg and the activities of LDH, NAG and ALP. The cortex of kidney was removed to determine the levels of Hg, GSH, MDA, and the activities of SOD and GSH-Px. Blood collected from abdominal aorta was used for determination of BUN in serum.
Results In comparison with the control group, the differneces of urinary protein content and Hg, GSH and MDA levels in renal cortex, LDH in urine, and SOD, GSH-px activity in renal cortex in each HgCl2 groups were statistically significant (P<0.05 or P<0.01). Meanwhile, the differences of Hg content and ALP, NAG activities in urine and BUN in serum in 4.4, 8.8 μmol/kg HgCl2 groups were statistically significant (P<0.01). In contrast, compared to 8.8 μmol/kg HgCl2 group, the contents of the urinary protein and BUN in serum decreased, the activities of NAG, LDH and ALP depressed in urine, the levels of GSH and MDA decreased and the activities of SOD and GSH-Px enhanced in kidney in the pretreatment group of procyanidins. The differences between them were statistically significant (P<0.05 or P<0.01).
Conclusion Mercuric chloride can accumulate in kidney and cause damage. Procyanidin has a certain protective effect against mercuric chloride-induced renal damage in rat.
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