You have no items in your shopping cart.
ABSTRACT
This study aimed to examine the hepatotoxic effects of orally administering freeze-dried aqueous extract of Tetrapleura tetraptera (TT) to adult wistar rats for 17 days. Twenty healthy adult Wistar rats weighing between 140g to 206g were randomly divided into five groups of four rats each. They were orally given varying doses of TT extract via orogastric tube for 17 consecutive days. Group A served as the control and received a normal diet ad libitum, while Group B received 1000mg/kg body weight of TT extract, Group C received 2000mg/kg body weight, Group D received 4000mg/kg body weight, and Group E received 8000mg/kg body weight of TT extract. After a fasting period of 18 hours following the cessation of treatment, the rats were sacrificed under anesthesia. Blood tissues were collected using syringes and needles by cardiac puncture and immediately transferred to EDTA sample bottles for liver function test. The liver and blood vessel samples were collected and promptly preserved in 10% formal saline for tissue processing. Hematoxylin and eosin stains were utilized for histological analysis. The findings revealed no statistically significant difference (P>0.05) in enzyme and protein levels among all groups when compared to the control group. Histological sections revealed (1) nucleus of hepatocytes appearing conspicuous implying increase in intracellular protein stores, (2.) periportal mobilization of lymphocytes, (3.) activation of sinusoidal kuffper cells which shows the boost in the local immune system of the liver.
