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ABSTRACT
The toxicity of drugs and other related agents attracts considerable attention from basic scientists to clinicians. Cardiac and hepatic diseases are among the most significant determinants of morbidity and mortality in the developed countries; therefore, it is important that any negative impact of drugs or toxins on these systems is not understated. Extracts of Irvingia gabonensis leaf is used to treat infections, fevers, and intestinal parasites. It is also used for its analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties to alleviate pain and inflammation. This research investigated the effects of ethanol leaf extract of Irvingia gabonensis on arsenic trioxide-induced damage to the heart, liver, spleen and haematological parameters in adult Wistar rats. Forty-two (42) adult Wistar rats were used for this work. The rats were randomly divided into six groups. Group A served as the control, Group B received 10mg/kg arsenic trioxide only, Group C received 250mg/kg ethanolic leaf of Irvingia gabonensis only, Group D received 500m/kg of ethanolic leaf extract of Irvingia gabonensis only, Group E received 250mg/kg of ethanolic leaf extract of Irvingia gabonensis + 10 mg/kg of arsenic trioxide and Group F received 500 mg/kg of ethanolic leaf extract of Irvingia gabonensis +10mg/kg of arsenic trioxide. The toxicant and extract were administered orally by gavage for duration of 28days. After sacrifice, cardiac, hepatic and splenic tissues and blood were collected for histology and haematological parameters. Phytochemical analysis showed that Irvingia gabonensis leaf contains phytochemicals such as terpenoids and flavonoids which have antimicrobial and antioxidant effects. Arsenic trioxide caused significant reduction in the body weights, increase in the heart and liver weights and significant reduction in the organ to body weight ratio which were improved after treatment with Irvingia gabonensis. Histological sections of the rat heart treated with arsenic trioxide show vascular distortion, perivascular infiltrates of inflammatory cells and focal myocardial degeneration (evidence of myocardial infarction) compare to the control. Sections of the rat liver treated with arsenic trioxide show periportal infiltrates of inflammatory cells, vascular ulceration, ductal epitheliosis and focal necrosis. Sections of the rat spleen treated with arsenic trioxide show severe follicular degeneration and sinus dilation. Arsenic trioxide induced portal hepatitis in the rat liver, myocardial infarction in the rat heart and destruction of follicular structures in the rat spleen and fluctuations in the haematological parameters, with significant decrease in mean cell haemoglobin, mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration, platelets and haematocrit level and increase in alkaline phosphate and bilirubin levels. Concurrent treatment with graded doses of Irvingia gabonensis achieved a remarkable measure of amelioration, with the 250mg/kg dosage appearing to have a better ameliorative effect than the 500mg/kg.
