Abstract:
The morphological effects of crude extract of Viscum album Linnaeus called “Anwusi” in Ika dialect on some selected visceral organs of albino rat was investigated for this study. Seventy (70) male and female adult albino rats of about 2 - 4 months old and 180 - 200g body weight were used for the study. Forty (40) rats were used for acute toxicity testing and thirty (30) for this study. The albino rat where randomly selected into Six (6) groups of 5 rats per cage and labeled as cages 1, 2, 3 and 4 and cages 5 and 6 severed as control groups. Tap water and standard pellet (Guinea Feed) were given to animals throughout the duration of the study. Cage 1, 2, 3, and 4 were treated with the leaf extract in order 100, 150, 200 and 300mg/kg body weight with regards to the LD50. Cages 5 and 6 were without experiment dose. The doses were orally administered for 28 days. At the end of 28 days, the selected visceral organs such as; oesophagus, duodenum, pancreas, gall bladder, liver and kidney were taken, processed and stained histologically. The tissue were stained with haematoxylin and eosin, photomicrograph was done. Histology of the liver and kidney, the extract induced mild periportal inflammation with haemorrhagic necrosis in the liver and tubular necrosis in the kidney. In the G.I.T, it induced mild mucosal inflammation, with increase dose it induced mild glandular hyperplasia. In conclusion, Viscum album leave extract was not well tolerated. Prolonged administration of leave extract will cause serious life threatening undersirable effect. Particularly, in the liver and kidney, it may lead to destruction of the tissue as well as loss of renal mass.
