Background: The present study was undertaken to study the effect of mercuricchloride (HgCl[sub]2[/sub]) on the collagen metabolism in rats and the protective effect of 2, 3-dimercapto-1-propanesulfonic acid (DMPS) in HgCl[sub]2[/sub]-treated rats. Material/Methods: The experimental groups studied were(i) a control group (ii) rats injected with a single intraperitoneal (ip) dose of 2 mg of HgCl[sub]2[/sub]/kgbody weight (HgCl[sub]2[/sub]-treated group, n=10 rats), (iii) Rats injected with a single dose (ip) of 100 mgof DMPS/kg body weight (DMPS group, n=10 rats), (iv) rats injected with a single dose (ip) of 100 mgof DMPS/kg body weight followed by a single dose (ip) of 2 mg of HgCl[sub]2[/sub]/kg body weight 1 hour aftera 100-mg DMPS injection (DMPS + HgCl[sub]2[/sub]-treated group, n=10 rats). Half of the rats from each group weresacrificed after 24 hours and the other half after 48 hours of treatment. Results: A dose of 2.0 mg HgCl[sub]2[/sub]/kgbody weight caused an impairment of glomerular function, which was reflected by significant increasesin the levels of serum creatinine and serum urea nitrogen in HgCl[sub]2[/sub]-treated rats compared with controlrats. Administration of 2.0 mg of HgCl[sub]2[/sub]/kg body weight significantly increased urinary excretion offree hydroxyproline in HgCI[sub]2[/sub]-treated rats compared with the control rats, reflecting increased collagenbreakdown. Conclusions: Administration of DMPS one hour before HgCl[sub]2[/sub] treatment caused the restorationof altered parameters to near normal levels.

Keywords: Blood Urea Nitrogen, Body Weight - drug effects, Collagen - metabolism, Creatinine - blood, Dose-Response Relationship, Drug, Hydroxyproline - urine, Injections, Intraperitoneal, Kidney Diseases - prevention & control, Kidney Glomerulus - drug effects, Mercuric Chloride - pharmacology, Organ Size - drug effects, Unithiol - pharmacology