This study aimed to investigate the protective effects of pomegranate peel (PoP) extract on the gill, liver, and kidney tissues of common carp exposed to cadmium (Cd). For this purpose, 150 common carp weighing 65± 0.85 g were randomly divided into five groups with three triplicates for each group (30 fish per group). The control group received a standard diet without cadmium chloride (CdCl2), the Cd group was exposed to 0.5 mg/L CdCl2, and the extract groups received PoP extract with concentrations of 1%, 2%, and 4% (percentage of food weight) along with 0.5 mg/L CdCl2 in the water. After four weeks, tissue samples were collected from the gill, liver, and kidney and stained with hematoxylin and eosin for histopathological examination. In the gills of the Cd group, lesions included congestion, hemorrhage, clubbing or fusion of the secondary lamellae, and telangiectasia of the lamellae. The liver tissue of the Cd group exhibited severe degeneration and necrosis of hepatocytes, while hemorrhage, congestion, cellular degeneration or necrosis, and hyaline cast were visible in the kidney tissue of this group. The severity of the mentioned lesions was significantly reduced in the PoP extract groups, particularly at concentrations of 2% and 4% (p < 0.05). Based on the results, it can be concluded that PoP extract has significant protective effects on the gill, liver, and kidney tissues of common carp exposed to CdCl2.

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