The Effects of the Aqueous, Ethanol and Hexane Extracts of Cnidoscolus aconitifolius Leaf on the Hematological Indices and Liver Histological Status of Streptozotocin-induced Diabetic Rats

Abstract

The effect of the aqueous, ethanol and hexane extracts of Cnidoscolus aconitifolius (Ca) leaf was examined heamatologically and histologically on Streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. 50 Wistar rats were purchased but only 40 rats were given a single dose of streptozotocin (STZ) (60mg/kg body weight). 25% of STZ dosed animals died while the survivals were distributed into groups II-V. Group II was untreated while groups III, IV and V were treated to hexane, ethanol and aqueous extract of Ca respectively. Rats that constituted the Control group were selected from the STZ untreated animals but were allowed liberty to rat chows and normal saline. Heamatological parameters evaluated revealed significant (P<0.05) increase in the Hb, PCV, and Total Red Blood Count (TRBC) levels when compared with the diabetic group. Furthermore, the Total White Blood Count (TWBC), platelets, neutrophils and lymphocytes were near normal for the Ca extract treated groups as the control. The liver architecture of the STZ-induced diabetic group from this present result displayed distortion of the lobular pattern of the hepatocytes, with several foci of edema and congestion. These were followed by marked periportal hepatolysis and cast within parenchyma. Furthermore, between the hepatocytes were dilation of sinusoids with increased leucocytic infiltration and fibrosis. The nuclei of most cells revealed clear signs of necrosis and the hepatocytes were swollen with conspicuous cytoplasmic vacuolations. Upon treatment with aqueous, hexan and ethanol extracts of C. aconitifolius, sections of the hepatocytes exhibited moderate congestion and improved hepatic features with the aqueous extract exhibiting more potency than the hexane and ethanol extracts. The anti-oxidative tendency of each solvent extract depicts reduced MDA and increased GSH contrary to the diabetic-induced group alone. Hence from this study, the anti-diabetic rationale of C. aconitifolius was further buttressed revealing aqueous solvent extract of C. aconitifolius as a more potent anti-diabetic agent.

Keywords: Cnidoscolus aconitifolius (Ca), heamatology, liver histopathology, streptozotocin

DOI: 10.7176/JNSR/14-4-05

Publication date: March 28^th 2023