April 2022 Vol. 10 No.4

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Original Research Article

Effect of Xylopia aethiopica Fruit on the Histopathology of Selected Organs from Treated Wistar Rats

Emmanuel O. Ogbuagu¹, Augustine¹. Airaodion^2*, Chika L. Uche³, Uloaku Ogbuagu², Edmund O. Ezirim⁴, Prince C. Unekwe⁵ and Ifeoma N. Nweke¹

¹Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Abia State University, Uturu, Nigeria.
²Department of Biochemistry, Federal University of Technology, Owerri, Imo State, Nigeria.
³Department of Heamatology, Abia State University, Uturu, Nigeria.
⁴Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Abia State University, Uturu, Nigeria.
⁵Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, NnamdiAzikiwe University, Awka Anambra State, Nigeria.

*Corresponding Author's E-mail: augustineairaodion@yahoo.com
 
Received: 18 March 2022  I  Accepted: 21 April 2022  I  Published: 25 April 2022  I  Article ID: MRJMMS22046
Copyright © 2022 Author(s) retain the copyright of this article.
This article is published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License 4.0.

Abstract

Traditionally, the use of Xylopia aethiopica fruit for therapeutic purposes is on the increase without any consideration of its safety and toxicity. This study was therefore aimed at investigating its effect on the histopathology of selected organs from Wistar rats. The fruits of Xylopia aethiopica were air-dried and extracted by Soxhlet extractor using ethanol as a solvent. Thirty wistar rats of both sexes were divided into five groups of six rats each. Animals in groups 1, 2, 3, and 4 were treated with 130, 259, 389 and 518 mg/kg body weight of X. aethiopica fruit extract respectively, while those in group 5 received normal animal feeds and water only. The administration was done once daily for 28 days via oral route. At the end of the treatment, animals were sacrificed under ether anaesthesia in a desiccator after an overnight fast. Organs (liver, kidney, stomach, heart, testis, uterus, and ovary) were harvested and preserved using 10% formal saline solution for further analysis. Histological examination was later performed on them. The extract was observed to induce damage on the selected organs especially at high doses thereby authenticating its perceived toxicity.

Keywords: Contraceptive, Histological Examination, Organ Damage, Toxicity, Xylopia aethiopica Fruit