AMELIORATING EFFECT OF ETHANOLIC LEAF EXTRACTS OF CARICA PAPAYA AND NEWBOULDIA LAEVIS ON LIVER OF ALLOXAN-INDUCED DIABETIC WISTAR RATS

Ifegwu N.O.*, Anibeze C.I.P, Ndukwe G.U, Njoku-Oji N.N, Agbai J.U, Opara J.K, Asebioyo S.K

ABSTRACT

Objective: This study was carried out to investigate the effect of the ethanolic leaf extracts of Carica papaya (C. papaya) and Newbouldia laevis (N. laevis) on the histology of the liver of alloxan-induced Wistar rats. Methodology: Forty male Wistar rats weighing between 160g – 200g were randomly assigned to eight Groups A - H of 5 rats each. Group A served as the control group and was not induced with diabetes, while Groups B – H were induced. Groups A and B received distilled water only, while Groups C - H received 200mg/kg of C. papaya, 400mg/kg of C. papaya, 200mg/kg of N. laevis, 400mg/kg of N. laevis, 200mg/kg of C. papaya + 200mg/kg of N. laevis and 400mg/kg of C. papaya + 400mg/kg of N. laevis respectively for 28 days. On day 29 of the experiment, the animals were sacrificed and liver of each rat was harvested for histological study. Results: There were severely damaged hepatic tissue with severe fatty change, cytoplasmic ground glass appearance and clearing of the hepatocytes of the animals in group B when compared with the control group. These effects were ameliorated in Groups C - H which received the variable doses of the ethanolic leaf extracts with more positive effects on the groups that received the combined ethanolic leaf extracts. Conclusion: The leaf extracts of C. papaya and N. laevis have ameliorative effects on the histology of liver of alloxan-induced Wistar rats.

Keywords: Carica. papaya, Newbouldia laevis, Diabetes Mellitus, liver histology.