ABSTRACT

Background: Different treatment modalities including herbal medicines containing herbs, salts and metals are being practiced in South Asia for different diseases. These medicines may have serious side effects on liver and kidneys.

Objectives: To see the biochemical effects of Kushta which contains mercury, on liver and kidneys of rats.

Setting: This experimental study was conducted for a period of 6 months in the Department of Pathology, University of Health Sciences Lahore from 02-06-2019 to 19-12-2019.

Material and Methods: It was an animal experimental study in which a total of 42 Wistar rats were included and divided into five exposed and one control groups. Biochemical changes were observed in liver and kidneys of rats by using indigenous as well as patent mercury preparations.

Results: It was observed that serum ALT was raised uniformly in all exposed groups at the end of 4-weeks and then the levels were even more markedly raised at the end of 8-weeks weeks. Serum creatinine was found to be significantly raised after 4-weeks and the steady rise was then observed from 4 to 8 weeks of exposure to Mercury kushta.

Conclusions: Indigenous herbomineral preparation (kushta) of mercury produces deleterious effects on liver and kidney of rats at cellular level thus it is both nephrotoxic and hepatotoxic.

Keywords: Mercury Kushta, Liver, ALT, Kidney, Creatinine