ABSTRACT

The aim of this present study is to investigate the effect of aqueous extract of Phyllanthius urinaria of Acyclovir induced toxicity on the kidney of adult Wistar rats. Twenty five Wistar rats were used.weighing between 100g and130g. The rats were divided into six groups A, B, C, D, E and F,each of which had five rats excepts for Group B having 6 rats. Group A were given just feed and water.Group B were given 432mg/kg of Acyclovir. Group C were given 250mg/kg of Phyllanthius urinaria leaft extract (low dose).Group D were given 1000mg/kg of Phyllanthius urinaria leaf extract(high dose).Group E were given 432mg/kg of Acylovir +250mg/kg of Phyllanthius  urinaria  leaf extract. Group F were given 432mg/kg of Acyclovir + 1000mg/kg of Phyllanthius urinaria leaf extract. The administration lasted for 30days and was done orally using an orogastric tube. The Animals were weigh using compact electric weighing scale calibrated in grams and sacrificed under Chloroform anaesthesia .After  anaesthesing  the rat, the rat was placed on supine position on the dissection table(trolley).Abdominal incision was made to  expose the abdominal viscera. Thereafter, blood samples were collected through the inferior vena cava and through the heart by the process of venous and cardiac puncture respectively using using 5ml of syringes .The blood samples were turned into EDTA bottles for full blood count analysis. A photomicrographic observation reveals that exposure to Acylovir exclusively through  oral administration caused vascular congestion and ulceration (uv),heavy interstitial infiltrates of inflammatory cells that covered the tubules which causes tubular necrosis on the kidney of rats. Those exposed to Acyclovir plus 500mg and 1000mg extract of Phyllanthius urinaria showed normal architecture, tubules (TU), Glomeruli (GU), active-interstital congestion (CO),which brought about increase in  Blood flow, because the doses of the extracts ameliorated the harmful effect of Acyclovir. The control group that were given only feed and water showed normal architecture of the kidney histology. The results obtained showed that Phyllanthius urinaria leaf extract has protective effect against Acyclovir induced kidney toxicity which could lead to heavy inflammation in the interstitial space covering the tubules and vascular congestion.