Is A Safe Dose Of Aqueous Extract Of Azadirachta Indica Toxic On The Histology Of The Rabbit Liver?

R. E. Ucheya¹* and J. C. Igweh²

¹Department of Anatomy, School of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Benin, Benin-City Nigeria. ²Department of Physiology, University of Nigeria, Enugu Campus. Enugu Nigeria.    

ABSTRACT: The effect of aqueous extract of Azadirachta indica (A. indica) on the liver was conducted using seven rabbits, with mean body weight ranging between 1.43kg and 1.47kg and were allowed an acclimatization period of two weeks. The rabbits were separated at random into two groups (A, and B). Identification of each animal was done by the number of strokes marked on their tail. The test group (A) was given 350mg/kg/bodyweight of aqueous extract of A.indica, while the second group (B) was the primary control group and as such was given normal saline. Each rabbit was weighed at an interval of five days before and after administration of the extract, in inorder to determine the effect on the body weight. On the fifteenth day after extract administration, the animals were euthanized and histological processing of the liver was done after which the Photomicrographs of the liver were produced and the histological changes were studied. The photomicrographs of the liver revealed normal histoarchitecture of the cells when compared to the control group and the difference in percentage weight change between the treated (0.68%) and control (1.4%)group was statistically insignificant (0.72%, P> 0.001). Therefore, we suggest that aqueous extract of A.indica has no histological effect on the liver and body weight when taken at a recommended safe dose.

KEYWORDS: Histological changes; liver; body weight; aqueous extract; Azadirachta indica

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