ISSN (Online) : 2277-4572
Author(s): Adediji, J. A. *, Eze, G.I. , Ehimigbai, A. R. O.
Twenty-four (24) male and female adult Wistar rats weighing between 190 kg – 240 kg were randomly divided into four (4) groups: the Control group (A) received pelletized growers mesh and distilled water for four weeks while groups B, C and D were administered 400 mg/kg, 800 mg/kg and 1200 mg/kg of aqueous extract of areca nut respectively for four (4) weeks consecutively. The animals were sacrificed following 24 hours of fasting by cervical dislocation. Histologically, treatment of the rats with graded dose (400 mg/kg, 800 mg/kg, and 1200 mg/kg) of aqueous extract of Areca nut for four (4) weeks induced loss of cytoarchitectural integrity of cells in the liver lobules. This is manifested by observing mild chronic inflammation around the portal triad (periportal hepatitis) and activation of the local immune system (kupffer cell activation) except that at high dose (1200 mg/kg), the immune system was not activated. The hepatocytes expressed prominent nucleoli which suggest increase in intracellular enzyme induction. The results of this study generally revealed that aqueous extract of areca nut caused histological distortion in the liver of adult Wistar rats.
