Renal Ultrastructural Alterations Induced by Lead Acetate and Protective Effects of Ginseng

Background: Lead is a hazardous metal that has a variety of physiological, behavioral, and biochemical impacts on people. Lead poisoning is the most common type of heavy metal poisoning. This work was designed to evaluate ginseng’s potential cytoprotective effects in a model of lead acetate-induced nephrotoxicity and to explore the specific pathways related to the involvement of oxidative stress, mitochondria, and apoptosis in this process. Methods and Results: For the study, 21 healthy 10-week-old albino rats weighing between 250 g and 310 g were used. The rats were split into three groups, each group consisting of seven rats. Group 1 (control group) included rats that did not receive medicine and were given distilled water orally and regularly. Group 2 included rats given 10mg/kg of lead acetate via gastric gavage once a day for 28 days. Group 3 included rats given, via gastric gavage, 10mg/kg of lead acetate once a day for 28 days and 100mg/kg of ginseng dissolved in 1 ml of distilled water. On the designated day, the animals were anesthetized with ether inhalation, and kidneys were removed through a median abdominal incision. The kidney specimens were cut into serial semi-thin sections and prepared for electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. Albino rats exposed to lead acetate experienced changes in the ultrastructure of their renal cortex. Treatment with ginseng dramatically reduced tubular damage, cell apoptosis, and necrotic and degenerative changes. Conclusion: According to our findings, ginseng may shield the kidneys from the harmful effects of lead.(International Journal of Biomedicine. 2024;14(4):704-708.).