Figure 3.

Renal cortex morphology in rats of a 4-week treatment of CdCl₂ exposure and coadministration of quercetin. The kidney tissue slices were stained with hematoxylin or oil red O and then observed by microscope (original magnification ×200). Normal rat kidney (a) showed the identical structure of glomerulus and proximal tubules. CdCl₂ exposure at 3 mg/kg (b) and 6 mg/kg (c) induced moderate inflammatory infiltration (black arrows). Quercetin at 50 mg/kg (d; f) and 100 mg/kg (e; g) significantly attenuated CdCl₂-induced inflammatory infiltration around glomerulus and proximal tubules in kidney of rats. Normal rat kidney (h) showed no lipid deposition. CdCl₂ exposure at 3 mg/kg (i) and 6 mg/kg (j) induced moderate lipid deposition (red). Quercetin at 50 mg/kg (k; m) and 100 mg/kg (l; n) significantly attenuated CdCl₂-induced renal lipid deposition in renal tubular epithelial cells by oil red O-stain analysis.