Abstract
This study was undertaken to study the renal toxicity of mercuric chloride in rats at different periods of time. The following groups of rats were studied: i) control, ii) placebo, iii) rats injected with a single ip dose of 100 mg/kg body weight of 2, 3 dimercapto1-propanesulfonic acid, iv) rats injected with a single ip dose of 100 mg/kg body weight of 2, 3 dimercapto-1-propanesulfonic acid (DMPS) followed by a single dose ip of 2.0 mg HgCl2/kg body weight one hour after DMPS injection v) rats injected with a single ip dose of 2.0 mg HgCl2/kg body weight. Results indicate that mercuric chloride was more toxic after 48 hours of its administration when compared to 24 hours. Mercuric chloride administration caused an impairment of renal function which was evident from a significant decrease in urine volume, urinary excretion of urea, creatinine and glomerular filteration rate (P < 0.001) when compared to other treated groups. There was an increased excretion of protein, albumin and gamma-glutamyltransferase in the urine of mercuric chloride treated rats. Administration of 2, 3 dimercapto-1-propanesulfonic acid before mercuric chloride treatment caused the altered indices to return to near normal levels.