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ABSTRACT
Chasmenthera dependens is a climbing shrub producing stems 5 metres or long. The stems are around 3cm in diameter[328,500].A popular traditional medicine, the plant is often harvested from the wild for local use. It is often planted in home gardens and is sold in local markets. The leaf and stem sap are applied locally to cure sprains and bruises; as a dressing for fractures; or mixed with shea butter as an embrocation to treat pain and stiffness. The leaf sap is applied as first aid to stop the bleeding of wounds. Mercury chloride on the other hand is a well known white crystalline solid and is a laboratory reagent and a molecular compound that is very toxic to humans. The purpose of this research was to determine the effect chasmenthera dependens on kidney of mercury chloride induced damage on Wistar rats. Thirty(30) experimental adult wistar rats of either sexes were randomly assigned into six(6) groups; Groups A-F comprising of five rats per group. Group A served as control while B,C,D,E,F served as treatment groups. The rats were fed with grower mash feed and had free access to water throughout the research period.Group A(control) was administered 1ml of distilled water, Group B was administered daily with 10mg/kg body weight of mercury chloride only, Group C were given 10mg/kg body weight of mercury chloride and 200mg/kg body weight of aqueous extract of chasmenthera dependens(low dose), Group D were given 10mg/kg body weight of mercury chloride and 400mg/kg body weight of aqueous extract of chasmenthera dependens (intermediate dose), Group E were given 10mg/kg body weight of mercury chloride and 800mg/kg body weight of aqueous extract of chasmenthera dependens (high dose), Group F were given 800mg/kg body of aqueous extract only. At the end of this treatment period, the rats were anesthetized using chloroform. The kidneys were harvested and weighed immediately and then immediately fixed in 10%formal saline to avoid autolysis and was transported to the histopathology laboratory of the University Of Benin Teaching Hospital(UBTH) for tissue processing. The results from this study showed that there were significant difference between initial and final weight of the rats across the groups. There were no significant differences across the groups compared with control. Though, there was a significant decrease in group with chasmenthera dependens only compared with mercury chloride only of organosomatic index across the groups. There was no statistically significant differences in the levels of K+,Na+ and HCO3-, but There was a significant decrease of Cl- with the intoxicated group treated with 200mg/kg Chasmenthera dependens only compared with control across the groups.The chasmenthera dependens extract protects the kidney from the toxic effect of mercury of chloride but only at low dose.
