Assessment of Renoprotective Effect of Pentaclethra macrophylla Seed (Ugba) against Mercury Induced Acute Kidney Injury in Male Albino Rats

Aim: The aim of this study was to assess the renoprotective effect of Pentaclethra macrophylla seed (Ugba) against Mercury induced acute kidney injury in male Albino Rats.

Study Design: This is an interventional study.

Place and Duration of Study: Department of Animal and Environmental Biology Animal House, Rivers State University, Port Harcourt, Nigeria, between January, 2019 and January, 2021.

Methodology: Thirty six (36) adult male albino rats weighing approximately 135±1.5g were purchased from University of Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria. They were housed in plastic suspended cages, placed in well ventilated conditions and provided with rat diet and water and acclimatize for two weeks. Fresh matured seeds of Pentaclethra macrophylla (African oil bean seed) were sourced locally from markets in Imo state, Nigeria. The washed and sliced seeds were stored at room temperature and allowed to ferment. The fermented seeds were dried, ground and preserved in airtight container in the refrigerator at 4oC.The total weight of the powdered seed of Pentaclethra macrophylla produced was 250g Seeds were thoroughly washed with distilled water, cooked for more than 2hours at 100oC. Maceration technique was used to carry out an ethanolic extract of the plant seed. Mercury chloride salt was purchased in Port Harcourt. A standard dose of 3.0mg/kg body weight of mercury chloride obtained from acute toxicity study dose determination was administered to the rats for 30 days after they were divided into six groups of six rats per group. After 30 days, all the animals were weighed, anaesthetized using chloroform. Blood was collected by cardiac puncture into plain tubes. Samples were obtained by centrifugation of the clotted blood at 3500rpm for 10minutes. The serum specimen were stored at 2oC prior to the biochemical analysis (estimation of blood urea nitrogen, creatinine, cystatin C and Kidney injury molecule –1 (KIM–1). Blood urea nitrogen was estimated using the Berthelot’s enzymatic method creatinine by Jeffe Colorimetric – Kinetic method, Cystatin C and kidney injury molecule –1 by ELISA Method using specific rat kits. Histological examination of the kidneys were carried out and tissues were stained with H & E stain and examined under the light microscope. Data were expressed as mean ±SD, and the statistical analysis was performed with the SPSS statistics 23.0 and (p<.05) were considered statistically significant.

Results: The results showed that urea, creatinine, cystatin C and KIM-1 levels significantly increased (p<.05) after mercury intoxication. However, there was a significant decrease (p<.05) in the levels of all the parameters in Pentaclethra macrophylla (PM) seed treated groups 3, 4, 5 and 6 rats. There was also a corresponding histology outcome.

Conclusion: Mercury toxicity caused an acute kidney injury, however, the administration of PM ameliorated the toxic effect of mercury toxicity in the kidneys of albino rats.