Protective effect of hydro alcoholic extract of Teucrium polium on Mercuric chloride-induced nephrotoxicity

Plants Antioxidants are of good candidates for protection against the toxicity of industrial pollution. In this study، the protective effect of hydro alcoholic extract of Teucrium polium (TP) on Mercuric chloride-induced nephrotoxicity was assessed.

In this experimental study 28 male wistar rats were examined. Animals were randomly divided into 4 groups (n=7) as: Control، Mercuric chloride، Mercuric chloride with extract of TP and extract of TP. Mercuric chloride and TP extracts were intraperitoneally injected to the with the dose of 1. 5 mg/kg and 200 mg/kg each day for 8 days، respectively. Then، blood samples were prepared and nephrotoxicity was determined by measuring serum urea and creatinine، using spectrophotometry and specific kit. One-way ANOVA followed by Tukey test was used for data analysis in SPSS software.

Mercuric chloride caused a significant increase in serum urea and creatinine in the Mercuric chloride group compared to the control group (P<0. 05). TP extract caused a significant decrease in serum urea and creatinine in the combined TP extract with Mercuric chloride group compared with Mercuric chloride group (P<0. 001).

Our results showed that the extract of TP has protective effects against nephrotoxicity induced by heavy metals such as mercury.