University of Calabar.
.
Niger J Physiol Sci. 2021 Dec 31;36(2):237-240. doi: 10.54548/njps.v36i2.13.
Aspilia africana is an herbal plant widespread in Africa used for medicinal purposes and also used by pregnant women for health related issues. This study was aimed at investigating the teratogenic effect of aqueous leaf extract of Aspilia africana on the dentate gyrus of albino wistar rat fetuses. Twenty (20) female adult rats weighing between 190-205g were used for this study. The rats were divided into four groups; control, low dose, medium dose and high dose with each group containing five rats. Pregnancy was induced by caging the female rats with sexually matured males. The presence of vaginal plug and tail structure in the vaginal smear the following morning confirmed coition, and it was regarded as day 0 of pregnancy. The control group was given distilled water. The low dose, medium dose, and the high dose groups received 750mg/kg, 1000mg/kg, and 1250mg/kg body weight of aqueous leaf extract of Aspilia africana through an orogastric tube from day 7-11 of gestation. On the 20th day of gestation, the animals were sacrificed using chloroform-inhalation method. Their fetuses were harvested via uterectomy, the brain was excised and fixed in 10% buffered formalin, and then routine histological processes were carried out. Staining was done using Haematoxylin and Eosin method. Histological observation of the dentate gyri of experimental groups revealed marked distortion, reduction of the polymorphic layer, hyperplasia and hypertrophy of cells in the molecular and granular layer especially in the high dose group whose mothers received 1250mg/kg of the extracts. The result suggests high doses of aqueous leaf extract of Aspilia africana may be teratogenic to the dentate gyrus of Wistar rat fetuses.
非洲凤尾草是一种在非洲广泛分布的草药植物，用于药用目的，也被孕妇用于与健康相关的问题。本研究旨在调查非洲凤尾草叶水提物对大白鼠胎鼠齿状回的致畸作用。本研究使用了 20 只成年雌性大鼠，体重在 190-205g 之间。将这些大鼠分为四组：对照组、低剂量组、中剂量组和高剂量组，每组 5 只。通过将雌性大鼠与性成熟的雄性大鼠关在一起诱导怀孕。第二天早上，阴道涂片上出现阴道塞和尾巴结构，证实了交配，这被认为是怀孕的第 0 天。对照组给予蒸馏水。低剂量组、中剂量组和高剂量组分别从妊娠第 7-11 天经口给予 750mg/kg、1000mg/kg 和 1250mg/kg 的非洲凤尾草叶水提物。在妊娠第 20 天，用氯仿吸入法处死动物。通过子宫切除术收集它们的胎儿，取出大脑并用 10%缓冲福尔马林固定，然后进行常规组织学处理。用苏木精和伊红法进行染色。实验各组齿状回的组织学观察显示出明显的畸形、多形层减少、分子和颗粒层细胞的增生和肥大，尤其是在高剂量组，其母亲接受了 1250mg/kg 的提取物。结果表明，高剂量的非洲凤尾草叶水提物可能对 Wistar 大鼠胎鼠的齿状回具有致畸作用。
