Ameliorative Role of Tiger Nut (Cyperus Esculentus) on Aluminum Chloride Induced Histopathological Changes on The Liver of Adult Wistar Rats
Gudaji A*, Aishat AU and Badamasi MI
Published: July 30, 2022
Abstract
Tigernut (Cyperus esculentus), belongs to the Cyperaceae family and is also found to be a perennial crop of the same genus as the papyrus plant. It is widely distributed in the temperate zones within south Europe and also grows naturally in Ghana, Nigeria and Sierra Leone. It is known in Nigeria as “Aya” in Hausa, “Ofio” in Yoruba and “AkiHausa” in Igbo. The aim of the study was to investigate the ameliorative effect of tigernut on aluminum chloride induced histopathological changes on the liver of adult wistar rats. The objectives of the study were to induce liver damage in wistar rats using aluminium chloride, and to determine whether tiger nut has ameliorative effect on the histopathological change induced by aluminium chloride on liver of wistar rat. Twenty five wistar rats weighing between 80g and 170g were randomly grouped into five rats each (A, B, C, D and E). After two weeks of acclimatization, group A was administered with normal saline, group B was administered with 500 mg/kg bwt of aluminum chloride, group C was administered with 1250 mg/kg bwt of cyperus esculentus, group D was administered with 500mg/kg of aluminum chloride and 2500mg/kg of cyperus esculentus, group E was administered with 500 mg/kg of aluminum chloride and 3750mg/kg of cyperus esculentus.
After two weeks of administration three rats from each group were sacrificed humanely and the liver of the rats were harvested for histological studies. The results showed that oral administration of aluminum chloride caused histopathological changes manifested with congested central vein, inflammation and fibrosis on the liver tissue, the group treated with cyperus esculentus showed normal histology of the liver, and the group treated with aluminum chloride and cyperus esculentus showed decrease in histopathological changes and partially restored live rtissue. In conclusion aluminum chloride induced histopathological changes on the liver tissues of adult wistar rats was ameliorated using cyperus esculentus with restoration of the degenerative changes which were time-dependent and dose-dependent respectively.