Histomorphological effects of Ethanol Leaf Extract of Vernonia amygdalina on the Heart of Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetic Wistar Rats

Abstract

Introduction: Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a chronic metabolic disorder of the endocrine system, which is characterized by long standing hyperglycemia that results from defects in insulin secretion or action or both, whereas DM has been found to be an important risk factor for cardiovascular disease.

Aim: The study was aimed to investigate the effects of Vernonia amygdalina on the cardiac tissues of Streptozotocin-induced diabetic Wistar rats.

Methodology: Thirty-six adults male Wistar rats weighing between 180 - 200 g were used for this study. The rats were randomly assigned into six groups (A-F) of six rats each. Group A rats were administered citrate buffer solution (1 ml/kg) and fed on standard laboratory rat chow throughout the period of the experiment. Groups B, C, D and F were fed on constituted High Fat Diet (HFD) for eight weeks and Streptozotocin administered (35 mg/kg) intraperitoneally for 5 days. Groups C and D received 250 and 500 mg/kg of ELEVA for three weeks respectively, while Group F rats were given 2 IU/kg body weight of insulin intraperitoneally for three weeks. Group E rats were fed on constituted High Fat Diet for eight weeks after which extract of Vernonia amygdalina was administered (250 mg/kg) orally for three weeks before diabetes induction. The rats were sacrificed under chloroform anesthesia. The hearts of the animals were completely excised, and weighed. The hearts were fixed for 24 hours and later grossed. Statistical analysis was carried out using descriptive and inferential statistics.

Results: The results revealed diabetic group showed a distorted histoarchitecture of the cardiomyocytes, in group B rats with many degenerating atrophic and apoptotic cardiac cells. The low dose ELEVA treated group revealed both healthy and degenerating cardiac and inflammatory cells present while the high dose ELEVA group, showed more of healthy than degenerating cardiomyocytes.

Conclusion: ELEVA has ameliorative potential on the histoarchitectural derangements caused by diabetes on the cardiac tissue of adult male diabetic Wistar rats.