Effect of high doses of nutmeg [Myristica fragrans] on healthy albino rats

ABSTRACT

The present work seeks to investigate the effect of high doses of nutmeg [Myristica fragrans] on healthy albino rats. Twenty male albino rats Sprague Dawley were divided into 4 groups; the first group fed on basal diet [control]; the rats of second, third and fourth groups were fed on basal diet supplemented with nutmeg [5%, 10% and 15%] respectively for eight weeks. The food intake, body weight gain ratio BWG%, feed efficiency ratio FER, organs / body weight ratio, parameters of serum, Total protein, Albumin AL, liver functions [AST and ALT] and kidney functions [Urea and Creatinine] in healthy albino rats were estimated and histopathological changes in liver, kidney and heart were examined also. The obtained results revealed nonsignificant differences in serum total protein for all groups fed on basal diet supplemented with different levels [5, 10 and 15%] of nutmeg and control group. In addition the data shows significant increase in serum AST and ALT for all groups fed on basal diet supplemented with different levels of nutmeg [5, 10 and 15%] comparing with control group. In addition, it could be showed nonsignificant differences in serum albumin for all groups fed on basal diet supplemented with different levels [5, 10 and 15%] of nutmeg comparing with control group. Meanwhile significant increase in serum urea and creatinine were recorded for all groups fed on different levels [5, 10 and 15%] of nutmeg compared with control group. The results obtained in this study revealed that high doses nutmeg consumption could affect the histology of liver and kidney of albino rat. The results concluded that the functions of liver and kidney may have been adversely affected. It is recommended that caution should therefore be advocated in the intake of this product and further studies be carried out to examine these findings: