ABSTRACT
Mercury chloride, a highly toxic environmental and industrial pollutant, poses significant risks to kidney function. The kidney, responsible for maintaining homeostasis through various functions including filtration, reabsorption, and waste elimination. Thirty-six adult Wistar rats were divided into six groups and treated orally for 28 days. Group A served as the control, while group B received mercury chloride alone, Groups C (250 mg/kg body weight of clove extract) and D (500 mg/kg body weighting clove extract), and groups E (250 mg/kg clove extract and 4 mg/kg mercury chloride and F (500 mg/kg clove extract and 4 mg/kg mercury chloride). Results indicated that mercury chloride caused a significant decrease in body weight, while clove extract led to a slight decrease in body weight in groups treated with clove alone. However, there were no significant changes in kidney weight. Mercury chloride significantly increased urea and creatinine levels compared to the control group, whereas clove extract significantly decreased these levels in groups treated with clove extract and mercury chloride. Mercury chloride induced significant alterations in sodium, potassium, bicarbonate, and chloride levels, which were mitigated by clove extract administration. Histological analysis revealed kidney damage in the mercury chloride group, including dilated Bowman's capsule, tubular swelling, vascular congestion, and inflammatory cell infiltrates. However, groups treated with clove extract exhibited normal kidney histology, suggesting a protective effect against mercury chloride-induced nephrotoxicity. In conclusion, the study demonstrated the potential protective role of clove extract against mercury chloride-induced nephrotoxicity in rats.
