Effects of Combined Aqueous Seed Extract of Monodora myristica and Xylopia aethiopica on the Histology of Pancreas of Wistar Rats

Monodora myristica and Xylopia aethiopica have been commonly used as spices for decades, both in culinary and medicinal contexts. This study aimed to assess the effect of aqueous extract of Monodora myristica and Xylopia aethiopica on the histology of the pancreas of adult albino Wistar rats. Twenty (20) rats weighing 160- 180 g were divided into four groups of five rats each and labelled Group A, B, C, and D. Group A rats which served as control were solely provided with feed and water, while Group B received 500 mg/kg of the extract of Monodora myristica. Group C received 500 mg/kg of the extract of Xylopia aethiopica, and Group D received a combined extract of 500 mg/kg of Monodora myristica and 500 mg/kg of Xylopia aethiopica extracts. The rats received the extract for eight weeks daily and were sacrificed 24 hours after the last administration and routinely processed histologically. The histological assessment showed normal pancreatic features in group A. Group B showed congested blood vessels and hypertrophy of acinar cells. Group C exhibited alterations in the morphology of the islet cells and cytoplasm. Lastly, group D showed signs of periductal fibrosis in the interlobular duct with congested blood vessels. Therefore, the result suggests that Monodora myristica and Xylopia aethiopica may have an adverse effect on the pancreas cytoarchitecture, particularly the islet of Langerhans.

Key Words: Monodora myristica, Xylopia aethiopica, pancreas, cytoarchitecture