NIGERIAN JOURNAL OF SCIENCE AND ENVIRONMENT
Journal of the Faculties of Science and Agriculture, Delta State University, Abraka, Nigeria
ISSN: 1119-9008
DOI: 10.5987/UJ-NJSE
Email: njse@universityjournals.org
HISTOLOGICAL EFFECTS OF CHRONIC ADMINISTRATION OF OCIMUM GRATISSIMUM LEAVE EXTRACT ON SELECTED ORGANS OF ADULT WISTAR RATS
DOI: 10.5987/UJ-NJSE.16.012.2 | Article Number: 52255012 | Vol.12 (2) - September 2013
Author: Eboh D.E.O
Keywords: Ocimum gratissimum, toxicity, histology, lungs, heart, pancreas, testes.
Ocimum gratissimum leave extract is commonly used in traditional medical practice for the treatments
of mental illness, epilepsy, high fever, diarrhoea, pneumonia, cough, and conjunctivitis. It is
known to affect sexual behavioural score in animals. The leaves of the plant are also used culinarily
in salads, soups, pastas, vinegars and jellies in many parts of the world. This study assessed the
effect of chronic administration of ethanolic extract of the leaves of Ocimum gratissimum on the
lungs, heart, pancreas and testes of adult wistar rats. Group 2, 3 and 4 received respectively
200mg/kg, 300mg/kg and 500mg/kg (W/V). The extracts of Ocimum gratissimum were administered
orally once daily for 28 days. Group 1 was control. At the end of four weeks, the animals
were sacrificed using the cervical dislocation technique. The lungs, heart, pancreas and testes were
removed and fixed in 10% formal saline. Paraffin sections were prepared from these organs and
stained with haematoxylin and eosin for histopathological assessment. Results showed that chronic
administration of Ocimum gratissimum leave extract induced a dose dependent toxicity on the histology
of the lungs and heart of male adult Wistar rats. While pancreatic and testicular histology
did not depart from control. Hence consumption of extract of the plant may be toxic to humans and
should be consumed with caution.
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