[Protection against mercuric chloride nephropathy by sodium selenite in the rat].

Daily intraperitoneal injection of 2.5 or 5 mumole HgCl2 to male Rats weighing 250 to 350 g induces an early intense increase of urine gamma-glutamyl transferase activity. In the same conditions, equimolecular administration of sodium selenite and mercuric chloride induces no increase of the enzymuria for the low dose: for the high dose- a minor and more persistent increase of urine GGT is observed. Thus, the activity of urines GGT allows, in vivo, to establish that sodium selenite protects Rat kidney against toxic effects of mercuric chloride.