Effects of Aqueous Extract of Solanum Gilo Fruit on Mercuric Chloride- Induced Kidney Toxicity in Adult Wistar Rats (Rattus Norvegicus)

The kidney is one of the target organs of mercury toxicity. Mercuric chloride produces oxidative damage by enhancing peroxidation of membrane lipid. Studies have shown that Solanum gilo has nutritional and medicinal features such as high level of antioxidant compounds. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of aqueous extract of Solanum gilo fruits on mercuric chloride- induced kidney toxicity. Thirty adult Wistar rats were purchased from the animal holding of the Department of Anatomy, University of Benin, Benin city, Edo State, Nigeria. The rats were allowed to acclimatize for two weeks. They were allowed free access to food and water throughout the duration of the experiment. They were randomly divided into six groups of five rats each. Animals in group A served as control animals. Those in group B were administered orally with 5 mg/kg body weight of mercuric chloride only; those in group C were administered 200 mg/kg body weight of aqueous extract Solanum gilo fruits only; those in group D were administered 400 mg/kg body weight of aqueous extract of Solanum gilo fruits only; those in group E were administered 5 mg/kg body weight of mercuric chloride and 200 mg/kg body weight of aqueous extract Solanum gilo fruits while those in group F were administered 5 mg/kg body weight mercuric chloride and 400 mg/kg body weight of aqueous extract of Solanum gilo fruits. The experiment lasted for 28 days. The experimental rats were sacrificed under chloroform anaesthesia, kidneys were harvested and immediately subjected to antioxidant or histological analyses. The results showed that there was a significant decrease (P<0.05) in kidney superoxide dismutase and significant increase (P<0.05) in kidney malondyaldehyde of rats treated with mercuric chloride when compared with control groups. Solanum gilo was able to reverse this condition when coadministered with mercuric chloride. The result also showed that Solanum gilo protects the kidney against mercuric chloride-induced histological changes. In conclusion Solanum gilo has a protective effect on mercuric chlorideinduced kidney toxicity.

Key Words: mercuric chloride, kidney toxicity, Solanum gilo, Wistar rats