ABSTRACT
Annona muricata is a tropical plant with edible heart-shaped fruits, popularly considered as a traditional medicinal plant due to its bioactive compounds. Studies have shown that A. muricata seed is rich in phytochemicals, which are compounds that have anticancer effects and often are used in herbal remedies in traditional folk's medicine. A. muricata extracts have shown the possibility of being the safest and promising therapeutic agents. Hence, the need to study it further for better medicinal formulations and diseases management. This research therefore was to examine the ameliorative and or preventive functions of A. muricata seed extract on liver and kidney induced toxicity in Albino wistar rats. Consequently, this research work, which is divided into five chapters, focused on determining whether or not A. muricata will have positive effects on the liver and kidney of rats. A. muricata seeds were identified and authenticated accordingly while twenty-four (24) in-bred Albino rats of about 4-6months old, with an average weight of 120-190g were obtained and allowed to acclimatized for 2weeks. At the end of the acclimatization period, the experiment was further divided into two (2) major phases, the ameliorative and the preventive. Rats were grouped into nine (9) cages, having three (3) control groups of two (2) rats each and six (6) test groups of three (3) rats each. The eighteen (18) rats in the tests groups of IV to IX were classified into main groups (Ameliorative and Preventive). The rats were given the aqueous extract in this progression: Ameliorative (IV=200mg/kg, V=300mg/kg, VI=400mg/kg), and Preventive (VII=200mg/kg, VIII=300mg/kg, IX=400mg/kg). Experiments IV to VI represent the ameliorative groups and were administered A. muricata extract daily + K2Cr2O7 twice a week. Experiments VII to IX represent the preventive groups and were administered a single dose of K2Cr2O7 on the second week + Annona muricata extract daily. The experiment lasted for fourteen (14) days and on the fifteenth (15th) day, the animals were sacrificed by cervical dislocation; organs of interest were excised, studied and preserved in 10% neutral buffered formular for tissue processing. The results however showed that there was no variation in colour, size and consistency in all organs of experimental animals both test and control groups. Behavioral signs of abnormalities were observed in the test animals, especially the high dose treated animals, when compared with the control rats. This study concludes that A. muricata seed extract contains potential preventive properties on the liver and kidney of albino rats treated with potassium dichromate (K2Cr2O7), and by extension proves to be a natural therapy in the control and management of degenerative and abnormalities in the liver and kidney respectively.
