Liver necrosis induced by Wedelia glauca in rats. A light and electron microscopy study.

Clinical, pathological and ultrastructural changes in rats injected ip with extracts of Wedelia glauca are described. Macroscopic changes were congested livers with accentuated centrilobular vascular patterns. Microscopic hepatic lesions had variable degrees of degeneration and lytic necrosis of centrilobular hepatocytes. Ultrastructural liver changes were condensation of nuclear chromatin with loss of perinuclear membranes, enlargement of mitochondria with alteration of limiting membranes, disappearance of cristae and matrical rarefaction. The endoplasmic reticulum was dilated with detachment of ribosomes. Serum activities of aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase and lactate dehydrogenase were increased.