Effect of N-Benzyl-D-glucamine Dithiocarbamate on Renal Toxicity of Inorganic Mercury in Rats

抄録

The effect of N-benzyl-D-glucamine dithiocarbamate (BGD) on the renal toxicity of inorganic mercury in rats was studied. Rats were injected i.v. with saline or HgCl₂ (300μg Hg/kg) and 30min later they were injected i.p. with saline or BGD (2778μmol/kg, a quarter of an LD₅₀). Urinary excretion of γ-glutamyl-transpeptidase (γ-GTP), which is a brush border enzyme, in rats after mercury treatment significantly increased compared to that of the control in the 12-24h urine specimen and reached a maximum value within 24h after the treatment. Urinary excretion of N-acetyl-β-D-glucosaminidase (NAG), which is a lysosomal enzyme, also significantly increased after mercury treatment compared to that of the control in the 12-24h urine specimen and reached a maximum value within 48h after the treatment. A change in urinary aspartate aminotransferase (AST) activity after mercury treatment followed a pattern similar to that observed with the urinary NAG. BGD treatment did not increase the urinary excretions of γ-GTP, NAG, and AST. The uptake of p-aminohippuric acid (PAH) by renal cortical slices significantly decreased 24h after mercury treatment. BGD injection after mercury treatment did not decrease the uptake of PAH by cortical slices. In addition, the microscopic examination of renal tissue from mercury-treated rats revealed necrosis of the proximal tubular cells. However, a photomicrograph of rat renal cortex after BGD treatment showed little abnormality. These results indicated that the mercury-induced renal damage was protected by the injection of BGD 30min after mercury treatment.