THE EFFECTS OF Tetrapleura tetraptera DRY FRUIT FRACTIONS ON THE HISTOPATHOLOGICAL CHANGES OF THE ORGANS IN BARIUM CHLORIDE INDUCED ARRHYTHMIA AND ISOPRENALINE-INDUCED MYOCARDIAL INFARCTION ON WISTAR RATS.

Abstract

Histopathological changes in organs are being studied through microscopic examination of tissue samples from biopsies or autopsies to determine damages caused by diseases, toxins, or environmental stresses. Medicinal plants have long played important roles in the treatment of diseases all over the world and contain pharmacologically active ingredients of which have been associated with adverse effects ranging from therapeutic benefits to severe toxicity, depending on dosage and usage. Tetrapleura tetraptera fruit in literature has been documented to have many health benefits, providing anti-inflammatory and antioxidant benefits of which misuse can lead to severe hapatotoxicity, nephrotoxicity gastrointestinal distress and potential carcinogenesis. Studies have explored its impact on heart morphology, blood pressure regulation and inflammatory markers in animal models but none has been seen documented on organs of induced arrhythmia and myocardial infarction in animal experiments after administering daily pretreatment for some days with the herbal fruit fractions. It is therefore very necessary to motivate studies looking at pharmacological agents that will provide protective effects on the organs while providing therapeutic treatment. Aim: To determine the effects of Tetrapleura tetraptera dry fruit fractions on the histopathological changes on the heart, liver, and kidney of the Barium Chloride-induced Arrhythmia and Isoprenaline-induced Myocardial Infarction in Wistar Rats. Objective: The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of fractions derived from the dried fruit of Tetrapleura tetraptera on histopathological alterations in the hearts, livers, and kidneys of Wistar rats following the inducement of Arrhythmia and Myocardial infarction with barium chloride and Isoprenaline respectively. Methodology: The study was an experimental design. Ethical approval was obtained from the Health Research Ethics Committee of the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Ituku-Ozalla, Enugu. Lethal dose (LDL50) was determined by the methods of Lorke 1983. The study was conducted in the animal house of the College of Medicine, Enugu state University of Science & Technology Parklane, Enugu (ESUT), Nigeria. Tetrapleura tetraptera indehiscent fruits were bought from Ogbete market Enugu, washed with clean water and air dried for three days. The whole fruits together with the seeds were ground to get coarse forms for easy filtration after cold maceration using methanol as the menstrum. The extract obtained was also fractionated at the Chemistry department of the University of Nigeria Nsukka to obtain Methanol and Ethyl Acetate fractions used in the experiment. Result: The 120mg/kg Methanol Fraction had the highest organ protection after barium chloride induced arrhythmia and Isoprenaline induced myocardial infarction on the experimental rats. The histopathological analysis from the experiment revealed that pre-treatment with the different administered doses resulted to various degrees of damages and protections on the organs (Hearts, Livers and Kidneys) of the experimental Wistar rats. Conclusion: From the experimental evidence, it was found that the 120mg/kg Methanol Fraction of T. tetraptera fruit gave the highest protection on the organs of the experimental Wistar rats, therefore can be used in treating the conditions (Arrhythmia and Myocardial Infarction) but within a shorter demonstrated time frame and the study extended to human since the results were extrapolation from the used animal models.