Hepato- and nephroprotective effects of bradykinin potentiating factor from scorpion (Buthus occitanus) venom on mercuric chloride-treated rats.
Bioactive peptides such as bradykinin potentiating factor (BPF), have, anti-oxidative, anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory and ameliorative effects in chronic diseases and play a potential role in cancer prevention. It is known that the liver and kidney accumulate inorganic mercury upon exposure, which often leads to mercury intoxication in these organs. In this study, we investigated the effect of bradykinin potentiating factor (BPF), a scorpion venom peptide, on mercuric chloride-induced hepatic and renal toxicity in rats. We used 20 adult male Albino rats divided into four equal groups: the first group was injected with saline (control); the second group was administered daily with mercuric chloride (HgCl2) for 2 weeks; the third group was administered with BPF twice weekly for 2 successive weeks, while the fourth group was exposed to BPF followed by HgCl2. We observed that HgCl2treated rats had a significant increase in serum ALT, AST, ALP, creatinine and urea levels compared to control. Furthermore, HgCl2treated rats showed a marked decrease in total proteins, albumin and uric acids compared to control. The previously studied parameters were not significantly changed in BPF pretreated rats compared to control. Moreover, a significant decrease in the activities of glutathione perioxidase (GSH), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and catalase (CAT), in addition to a significant increase in the level of malondialdehyde (MDA) were observed in hepatic and renal tissues of rats after HgCl2treatment. In contrast, the HgCl2/BPF treated rats showed a significant elevation in the activity of GSH, SOD, and CAT accompanied with a significant regression in the level of MDA compared to the HgCl2exposed rats. We conclude that treatment with BPF is a promising prophylactic approach for the management of mercuric chloride-induced hepato- and nephro-toxicities.
Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, South Valley University, Qena 83523, Egypt.
Muhammad M A
MM
Salman
Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University Medicine Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany; Department of Anatomy and Histology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Assiut University, Assiut, Egypt.
Ahmed M
AM
Kotb
Department of Pathology & Clinical Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, South Valley University, Qena 83523, Egypt.
Mohie A M
MA
Haridy
Molecular Hepatology - Alcohol Associated Diseases, Department of Medicine II, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany; Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, South Valley University, Qena 83523, Egypt.
Seddik
S
Hammad
BPF; kidney; liver; mercuric chloride; oxidative stress; rats