Uterotropic and anabolic effect of the root bark of adansonia digitata linn in wistar rats.

ABSTRACT

An experiment was conducted to investigate the uterotropic and anabolic properties of the root bark of Adansonia digitata Linn in female Wistar rats. Mature normal cycling female rats between 80 to 90 days old and of average weight 158 ± 20g were blocked by weight and distributed into four groups A, B, C and D. Each group comprised of eight rats and groups A,B and C received 1000 mg/kg, 800 mg/kg and 500 mg/kg body weight of the ethanol extract per os for seven days, while group D which served as the control, received 0.5ml of distilled water in the same manner. All animals were weighed on the first and seventh day, while on the tenth day, all rats were sacrificed. The uteri and ovaries were harvested, weighed, and histopathologically examined.The effects of the extract on uterine and ovarian weights were not statistically significant (P>0.05).However, the groups given 1000mg/kg and 800mg/kg body weight of the extract produced significant increases (P < 0.01) in body weight [10.25 ± 2.18 g and 9.75 ± 2.18 g respectively] when compared to control [2.00 ± 2.18 g]. Histopathologic examination revealed stratified squamous metaplasia of the endometrial epithelial cells, empty spaces within epithelial layer and exfoliation of the epithelial layer.The ethanolic extract of the root bark of Adansonia digitata Linn has uterotropic effects and increased body weight in Wistar rats.