Effect of myrrh extract on the liver of normal and bilharzially infected mice, an ultrastructural study

ABSTRACT

In the present work, the efficacy of purified oloe-resin extract of myrrh derived from Commiphora molmol tree [commercially known as Mirazid] as a new, natural antischistosomal drug was investigated. The effect of myrrh on the ultrastructural profile of the noninfected normal mice liver was also studied. Sixty male mice were used throughout this work and they were divided into three main groups [20 animals each] Group I [noninfected control animals], group II [infected animals] and group III [infected animals treated with myrrh extract at eight weeks post infection, 500 mg/kg body weight]. The drug was given orally on an empty stomach after overnight fasting for five successive days. All animals were sacrificed after 12 weeks from the beginning of the experiment and small pieces of the liver were excised and prepared for an ultrastructural study. The liver of the noninfected animals, which received myrrh extract [group IA] showed a more or less normal ultrastructural profile. The infected groups showed alterations of the ultrastructure of most of the hepatocytes with extensive intercellular fibrosis with abundant granulomas in the portal tract. In the infected treated group, most of the hepatocytes showed normal organelles with numerous microvilli extending into patent spices of Disse. A marked reduction of granulomas in the portal areas and an amelioration of the intercellular fibrosis were also observed. On the bases of the observed results, it was concluded that myrrh extract has a promising antischistosomal non-hepatotoxic activity