Paraphenylenediamine (PPD) is a synthetic compound used widely as a hair dye. Ingestion of PPD results in major systemic problems which depend mainly on the dose taken.
The current study was designed to investigate PPD toxic effects upon the kidney after single oral dose of PPD in three groups of adult male albino rats. Groups II, III, and IV which received (8, 16, 80 mg/kg toxic, sublethal and lethal dose of PPD respectively), 10 per each group. Another 10 animals were served as a control group (group I) received only distilled water. Blood was collected for evaluation of kidney functions and measurement of PPD and its metabolites levels by HPLC. The kidneys were preserved for histopathological examinations and measurement of the level of PPD and its metabolites by HPLC. The results proved that acute ingestion of PPD can induce disturbed kidney functions. PPD was detected in plasma and the kidney in group IV and in the kidney only in group II and group III, while the metabolites (MAPPD and DAPPD) were detected in all treated groups. The histopathological findings showed that PPD cause mild, moderate and severe tubular damage. In a conclusion, this study established the renal toxic effects of acute ingestion of paraphenylene-diamine.