EFFECTS OF COPPER CHLORIDE ON THE KIDNEY OF ADULT WISTAR RAT
Abstract
Copper chloride exists primarily in two forms: copper(I) chloride (CuCl) and copper (II)
chloride (CuCl₂). Copper (II) chloride is the more common form and is often referred to simply as
copper chloride. Copper(I) Chloride (CuCl): Also known as cuprous chloride, it appears as a white
crystalline solid that is slightly soluble in water. It tends to oxidize to form copper (II) chloride
when exposed to air (Greenwood & Earnshaw, 1997). Copper (II) Chloride (CuCl₂): Also known
as cupric chloride, it appears as a yellowish-brown anhydrous powder or a green crystalline
dihydrate. It is highly soluble in water and forms a blue-green solution due to the formation of
complex ions (Cotton et al., 1999).
Thirty-one (31) healthy Wistar rat weighing 120-300grams were used for the study and were
separated into four (4) groups of eight (8) animals each but only the control groups were seven (7)
Group A served as the control group and received distilled water, Group B, C and D were treated
orally with 50mg/kg, 100mg/kg and 150mg/kg of Copper Chloride. The rats were sacrificed by
cervical dislocation on the 22nd day of the treatment. The kidney was removed and weighed and
then fixed in 10% formal calcium for histological studies. The tissue was processed, sectioned and
stained with Haematoxylin and Eosin for histological study.
The results obtained showed that the mean body weights of the Wistar rats increased and
increased significantly (P
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