ABSTRACT
Mercury, a highly toxic heavy metal, can cause severe kidney damage. This study investigated the protective effect of aqueous soybean (Glycine max) extract against mercury chloride-induced kidney injury in adult Wistar rats. Thirty-six rats were divided into six groups: Group A served as the control and received 1ml of distilled water daily; Group B, 4mg/kg mercury chloride; group C, 250mg/kg of aqueous Glycine max extract; Group D, 500mg/kg aqueous Glycine max extract; Group E, 250mg/kg aqueous Glycine max extract and 4mg/kg mercury chloride; Group F, 500mg/kg aqueous Glycine max extract and 4mg/kg mercury chloride. Treatments were administered orally for 28 days. Compared to the control group, mercury chloride significantly decreased (p<0.05) body weight and bicarbonate levels, while significantly increasing (p<0.05) chloride, urea, and creatinine levels. Conversely, soybean administration reversed these effects, significantly increasing (p<0.05) body weight and bicarbonate while significantly decreasing (p<0.05) the other markers. Interestingly, kidney and relative kidney weight, as well as sodium and potassium levels, showed no significant difference (p>0.05) across all groups. Histological analysis revealed severe damage in the mercury chloride only group, including non-proliferative glomerular atrophy, increased urinary space, and inflammatory cell infiltration. In contrast, groups receiving soybeans exhibited normal kidney features. Notably, the group with the higher soybean dose (500mg/kg) displayed near-normal kidney structure with only slightly dilated Bowman's space, while the lower dose group (250mg/kg) showed some remaining damage. In conclusion, these findings suggest that soybean extract offers a dose-dependent protective effect against mercury chloride-induced kidney damage in rats.
