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ABSTRACT
Background: Tetrapleura tetraptera is an African medicinal plant that has significant cultural and traditional value. It is frequently utilised to make herbal mixtures and decoctions for the treatment of disorders like uterine fibroid, diabetes, postpartum hemorrhage etc. The plant (T. tetraptera) was collected and authenticated at Forest Research Institute of Nigeria (FRIN), Osun state. Aim: This study is aimed to investigate the anti-fibroid potential of the ethanol extract of the fruit of Tetrapleura tetraptera plant on monosodium glutamate (MSG) induced fibroid in Sprague-Dawley rats. Method: The dried milled fruit of T. tetraptera was extracted using Soxhlet extraction method. Phytochemical screening of the fruit extract was done for identification of phytochemical constituents. Acute and delayed toxicity studies were done using Lorke’s method. Preventive and curative studies (measuring total plasma cholesterol, plasma protein and plasma estradiol) using 100, 200 and 400mg/kg doses of T. tetraptera fruit extract on 800mg/kg MSG-induced uterine leiomyoma in Sprague-dawley rats was conducted. Histology studies and biochemical assays were carried out on the uteri and blood samples respectively. Results: The percentage yield of the extract obtained from the fruit of Tetrapleura tetraptera was 31.25% after extraction. MSG administration to the rats elevated significantly (P ≤ 0.05 – 0.01) cholesterol and estradiol (indicating hyperplasia) by 64% and 90.57% respectively in the preventive treatment and; 41.19% and 109.32% respectively in the curative treatment. Curative treatment reduced very significantly (P ≤ 0.01) the elevated plasma cholesterol and estradiol (by 39.75–43.45% and 22.16–55.04% respectively) than preventive treatment. The lethal dose was greater than 5000 mg/kg administered orally. Conclusion: The ethanol extract of T. tetraptera reversed hyperplasia induced in the uterus by MSG, making it useful as an anti-fibroid drug.
