The Antioxidant Effect of Medicago sativa L. (Alfalfa) Ethanolic Extract against Mercury Chloride (HgCl₂) Toxicity in Rat Liver and Kidney: An In Vitro and In Vivo Study

Figure 5

Histopathological changes in the kidney of animals in the control and treated groups (H&E staining, 40x), scale bar = 50 μm. C represents that the glomerular structure was normal (black arrow). There is no bleeding or hyperemia in the glomerulus. Renal tubules are normal (red arrow). Tubular cells are active, and the nucleus of tubular cells are not degenerated. S represents acute tubular damage, acidophilization of cytoplasm (black arrow), destruction of the wall of tubular cells and disintegration of epithelial cells of tubules, and interstitial nephritis (red arrow). T1 represents interstitial nephritis (black arrow), glomerular sclerosis, and increased glomerular space (space between the glomerulus and glomerular wall) (blue arrow). T2 represents extensive penetration of mononuclear inflammatory cells into the interstitial tubular and glomerular space (black arrow) and acute tubular necrosis caused by eosinophilization or acidophilization of the cytoplasm, due to the sedimentation of cytoplasmic proteins (red arrow). T3 represents that mononuclear inflammatory cells were seen in the interstitial space of the tubule (black arrow), the tubules are functional, and no acute tubular necrosis was observed (red arrow).