ABSTRACT
Background: Spondias mombin is one of the tropical plants used locally to treat various kinds of ailment, its use as an anti-conceptive remedy in our locality had been reported. Objective: The aim of this study was to establish a dose-dependent or duration effect of ethanolic leaf extract of Spondias mombin on the anterior pituitary cells, testes and epididymides of Wistar rats of Wistar rats. Materials and Methods: A total of thirty (30) matured male Wistar rats were randomly divided into five groups (n=5). Group 1 animals served as control and received vehicle (distilled water). Groups 2 and 3 were administered with 250 mgkg-1 body weight of extract for 4 and 6 weeks respectively, while groups 4 and 5 received 500 mgkg-1 body weight of extract for 4 and 6 weeks also. Animals were anaesthetized with chloroform and sacrificed at the end of the administration. Body weight, weights of reproductive organs and vital organs were evaluated. Blood was taken from the animals for haematological and biochemical analysis. The pituitary gland, male reproductive and accessory glands were excised and fixed in 10% formalin for routine histological examination. Results: The influence of ethanolic extract of Spondias mombin leaves on the pituitary cells and reproductive organs of male Wistar rats given 250 and 500 mgkg-1 body weight for 4 and 6 weeks showed loss of cytoplasmic contents and free spaces of pituitary cells, desquamation of seminiferous epithelial cells, degradation of seminiferous tubules and reduction in cells. The epididymis of the test groups showed abundant immature cells and cell debris in their lumen. The accessory glands showed homogenous pinkish fluid, glandular degeneration of the prostate and seminal vesicles with decreased structural integrity. The organ weights of the experimental animals were not significantly affected, however, a significant (P<0.05) decrease in reproductive organ weights was recorded. Ethanolic extract of Spondias mombin on liver enzymes showed significant protection against hepatobiliary damage. Conclusion: These results suggest that Spondias mombin has a dose-dependent and duration deleterious effect on the pituitary and reproductive organs at their cellular levels rather than on the tissue as a whole.
ABSTRACT
Aims: Lemon grass and mango bark serves as one of the medicinal plants used in Nigeria for the treatment of malaria by traditional herbalists. This study was designed to assess the effects of ethanolic extract of lemon grass and mango bark on the cerebral astrocytes of wistar rats. Place and Duration of Study: Department of Human Anatomy, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Calabar, Calabar, Nigeria between December 2013 and May 2014. Methodology: Twenty (20) adult wistar rat were divided into four groups, each consisting of five rats. Group A served as the control that received distilled water, while the experimental groups B, C and D received 2000mg/kg ethanolic extract of lemon grass, 2000mg/kg ethanolic extract of mango bark, a combination of 1000mg/kg ethanolic extract of lemon grass and 1000mg/kg ethanolic extract of mango bark orally with the aid of orogastric tube respectively for two weeks and were sacrificed using chloroform. The brain of the rats were harvested and preserved using 10% formal saline. Histological processes were carried out and the tissues were stained using Hortegas. Results: Neurohistological studies carried out revealed hyperplasia of astrocytes in the treated groups B, C and D animals that received 2000mg/kg of ethanolic extract of lemon grass, 2000mg/kg of mango bark and combined 1000mg/kg of ethanolic extract of lemon grass and 1000mg/kg of ethanolic extract of mango bark. There was increased hyperplasia in group B animals that received 2000mg/kg of the lemon grass extract when compared with the control and the treated groups C and D. Conclusion: Thus, ethanolic extract of lemon grass, mango bark and combined extracts of mango bark and lemon grass has the potential to cause neuronal damage as seen in the hyperplasia of cerebral cortex astrocytes.
ABSTRACT
Background: Artesunate (AS) is an artemisinin antimalarial drug used as a single drug or in combination with other antimalarials. Objective: This study was to find its effect on some brain biomolecules and behavioural activities in Wistar rats. Methods:Forty adult male Wistar rats weighing between 150- 180g were divided into four groups of A, B, C and D with 10 animals each. Group A served as the control that received tap water, while groups B, C and D served as the experimental groups that received 2.85mg/kg (therapeutic dose-TD) and 5.71mg/kg (high pharmacologic dose-HPD) of AS per day for 3 days, and 2.85mg/kg (long duration therapeutic dose -LDTD) of AS per day for six days respectively. Half of the dose was administered twelve hourly (twice a day), and twelve hours after the last treatments, behaviour test using the ‘open field maze’ was carried out. Immediately after, the animals were sacrificed with chloroform anaesthesia and the whole brain removed and weighed. Whole brain homogenates were used to determine brain total protein (TP), triacylglycerol (TAG) and cholesterol (CH).Data were analyzed statistically by ANOVA and Tukey-Kramer Multiple Comparative Test as applicable. Results: There were no difference (p<0.05) between the experimental groups and the control group in the anthropometric parameters and behavioural activities. In the brain biomolecules concentration, TP was lower in concentration in the HPD group, TAG was lower in concentration in the LDTD group, while the HPD and LDTD groups had lower CH concentration compared to the control. In all the parameters studied no difference was found between the TD group and the control. Conclusion: AS at recommended dose may not affect some behaviour and brain biomolecule concentration, unlike when taken in excess of dose and or time. Even at these doses/time there may have been no behavioural manifestation.