Effect of Yaji on the Anterior Pituitary Gland

Abstract

The aim of this histological study is to determine the effect of yaji (a Nigerian meat sauce that is indiscriminately consumed) on the anterior pituitary gland based on the fact that there is evidence that some of its constituents have excitotoxic and neurotoxic potentials. Eighteen weeks old white albino rats of an average weight of 225g were used for this study. The animals were acclimatized for two weeks and the test substance was administered for eight weeks and weighed on weekly basis. Twenty male albino rats were used and were divided into four groups (A-D) of five animals in each group. Group A served as control and were fed with normal feed (growers mesh) only while group B-D served as the test group and were fed with normal feed plus graded levels of yaji (B: 5g; C: 10g; D: 15g). The photomicrographs showed no observable histological changes in the tissue for all the groups. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) showed significant differences (P<0.05) in weight between the groups for the period of eight weeks. The findings therefore suggest that yaji has no capacity to induce any histological changes on the anterior pituitary gland.

Keywords: Yaji, Suya, Spices, Anterior Pituitary Gland.