Mechanisms of Thymoquinone Hepatorenal Protection in Methotrexate-Induced Toxicity in Rats

Figure 2

Effect of thymoquinone (TQ) on histology of the kidney and liver in methotrexate- (MTX-) induced toxicity in rats. Representative histological photomicrographs of hematoxylin and eosin-stained renal (left panel) and hepatic (right panel) sections (×40 and ×20, resp.) showing (a and b) control and TQ-treated groups, respectively, having normal structure of renal glomeruli and tubules, (c) MTX-treated group with glomerular atrophy (star), wide capsular space (black arrow), sloughing of epithelial cells of renal tubules, dilatation, and intratubular cellular casts (white arrow), and (d) MTX/TQ-treated group with mild dilatation of renal tubules (white arrow). Liver of both control and TQ-treated groups (e and f, resp.) has normal hepatic architecture, MTX-treated group (g) has dilated congested portal vein (white arrows), and MTX/TQ-treated group (h) shows normal hepatic architecture.