Evaluating the Effects of Methanolic Leaf Extract of Neem Plant and Hog Plum on the Liver Histology of Zidovudine Induced-Oxidative Stress Wistar Rats

The liver is an important organ which functions in the detoxification of drugs, toxins and metabolic waste products. It also plays a role in the maintenance of homeostasis. Exposure of the liver to oxidative stress leads to impairment of homeostasis which may result in malfunctioning of the liver. This study was carried out to access the efficacy in the administration of herbal extract of Azadirachta indica (neem) or Spondias mombin (hog plum) singly or In combination when ameliorating the effects of oxidative stress in wistar rats Liver. The study was carried out using 25 male adult wistar rats weighing 180-280 g. The rats were divided into five groups; group A, group B, group C, group D and group E. Group A is the negative control group that received rat chow and water, Group B is the positive control group that received the administration of 450mg/kg body weight of zidovudine drug, Group C is the group that received 450 mg/kg body weight of zidovudine drug and 500 mg/kg body weight of Azadirachta indica group D received 450 mg/kg body weight of zidovudine and 500 mg/kg body weight of Spondias mombin, while group E is the group that received 450 mg/kg body weight of zidovudine drug and a combination of 500 mg/kg body weight of Azadirachta indica and Spondias mombin herbal extracts. The administration was carried out once a day using orogastric tube for a period of 21 days. At the end of the administration, the rats were sacrificed using chlorofoam inhalation technique and the liver was fixed in 10% neutral buffered formal saline. Light microscopic evaluation of the liver showed the normal histology of the liver which includes the presence of central vein of the liver, hepatocytes, and sinusoids in group A, sections of group B witnessed a distortion in the liver histology which is witnessed by shrinkage of central vein of the liver, degeneration of hepatocytes and a reduction in sinusoids, group C showed a normal histology of central vein of the liver, hepatocytes; and dilatation of liver sinusoids. Group D showed a normal histology of hepatocytes, sinusoids, with central vein of the liver, while groups E showed dilatation in the central vein of liver, dilatation of liver sinusoids and a normal histology of liver hepatocytes. Therefore the result shows that single administration of methanolic leaf extract of Azadiratcha indica or spondias mombin herbal extracts was more potent in ameliorating the effects of zidovudine induced oxidative stress on the Liver histology when compared with the synergistic effect of both herbal extracts.