Objective Using urinary NAG, urinary protein and BUN as indices to study whether there was dose-effect relationships between the exposed dose of mercury chloride and the acute nephrotoxicity, and to observe the relationship between the exposed dose of mercury chloride and level of mercury in body.
Methods T wenty-four Wistar rats were divided into four groups randomly.The control group was given a subcutaneous injection of 0.9% saline.T he other groups were given mercuric chloride by subcutaneous injection of 0.75, 1.5 and 2.5mg/(kg·weight).12-hour Urine was collected after being injected 12 hours later and the blood, kidney and liver were gotten after being injected 48 hours later.Mercury concentrations in liver, kidney and ur ine, the activity of urinary NAG and the level of urinar y protein and BUN were determined.
Results The variation of mer cury concentrations in liver, kidney and urine among the four groups were significant.There was significantly increase of mercury concentration in liver when the dose of mercuric chloride reached 2.5 mg/(kg·weight)and in urine when 1.5 mg/(kg·weight).The most significance was observed in kidney.The positive cor relation was obtained between the dose of mercury chloride exposed and the level of mercury in body.The more mercuric chloride was exposed, the worse acute nephrotoxicity was.The significant increase of urinary NAG, urinary protein and BUN were observed when the rats were injected 2.5 mg/(kg·weight)mercuric chloride.
Conclusion There was dose-effect relationship between the exposed levels of mercuric chloride and the mer cury concentration in body.The acute nephrotoxicity was worse with the dose of mercuric chloride increasing.The mercury concentration in urine can be used for the early determinant indexes of acute nephrotoxicity.
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