HISTOLOGICAL CHANGES IN THE CEREBELLUM OF ADULT WISTAR RATS FOLLOWING ADMINISTRATION OF ETHANOLIC EXTRACTS OF LEMONGRASS AND MANGO BARK

Mokutima A. Eluwa, Etim E. Asuquo, Olaitan R. Asuquo*, Theresa B. Ekanem, Amabe O. Akpantah, Mfoniso Udonkang and Sophia O. Amah

ABSTRACT

This research work focused primarily on the histological features of Wistar rats cerebellum following the administration of the ethanolic extracts of lemongrass, mango bark and its combined extracts. Twenty adult Wistar rats weighing 180-220g were divided into four groups labeled A, B, C and D. Group A rats served as the control and were fed with rat chow throughout the duration of the experiment. Group B animals received 2000mg/kg of the ethanolic extract of lemongrass, group C animals received 2000mg/kg of ethanolic extract of mango bark while group D animals received combined ethanolic extracts of 1000mg/kg of lemongrass and 1000mg/kg of mango bark orally for two weeks. The animals were sacrificed 24 hours after the last administration using chloroform inhalation method. The cerebellum were excised and preserved using 10% formal saline. Routine paraffin wax tissue processing was carried out and sections stained using Hematoxylin and Eosin. Histological observations revealed in the control rats normal cerebellar cytoachitecture. Cerebellum of the treated groups showed slight degeneration and loss of purkinje cells, which was more in group D when compare with groups B, C and the control group. Result showed that the extract may individually and in combined form cause alterations in the cerebellum cytoarchitecture.

Keywords: Cerebellum, Histology, Ethanolic extract, Lemongrass, Mangobark, Wistar rats.