Histomorphological Effect of Ethanolic Extract of Vernonia Amygdalina Leaves on the Liver, Kidney and Pancreas of Alloxan Induced Diabetic Female Wistar Rats

Vernonia amygdalina is used as nutraceutical and in many cultures as edible vegetable, and phytomedicine in the management or treatment of a myriad of ailments including malaria, breast cancer and hypertension. This study was aimed at determining its histomorphological effect on the liver, kidney and pancreas of alloxan-induced diabetic rats. Fifteen female Wistar rats divided into 3 groups of 5 rats each were used for the study. Treatment was through oral route and lasted for two weeks. Diabetic test group was treated with 200mg/kg body weight extract, diabetic control group was treated with 0.2 ml distilled water and the non-diabetic (normal control group) was treated with 0.2 ml distilled water. Diabetic control animals showed significantly (p?0.05) raised blood levels of glucose (387.40±8.67mg/dl) while in the diabetic rats treated with the extract, the level of blood glucose was reduced significantly (p?0.05) to 266.32±5.00mg/dl when compared to the non-diabetic control animals. Histomorphological studies revealed severe diffuse degeneration of hepatocytes and marked congestion of portal areas, deposition of eosinophilic hyaline materials in the glomerular tufts and degeneration of islet cells in diabetic control group. Diabetic rats treated with 200mg/kg of extract revealed moderate diffuse fatty degeneration of hepatocytes, mild congestion of portal areas, eosinophilic hyaline deposits in some glomeruli and no significant lesion in pancreatic islets. The normal control rats showed no histomorphological changes in the sections of their liver, kidney or pancreas. It is possible that the antidiabetic action of Vernoniaamygdalina is probably mediated via insulin production from the regeneration of pancreatic beta cells in diabetic subjects and it may be a potential source of recovery for degeneration of tissue owing to oxidative injuries from chronic diseases like diabetes mellitus.

Key Words: Histomorphology, Vernonia amygdalina, Diabetes mellitus, Alloxan, Liver, Kidney, Pancreas