Histological Effects of Aqueous Extract of Carica papaya Seed on the Renal Tissue in Adult Wistar Rats

Abstract

Attention has been given to some tropical fruit that are of medicinal importance among which is Carica papaya. Papaya is the fruit of the plant carica papaya and the sole specie in the genus carica of the caricacae family. The present study is designed to access the Histo-morphological changes on the kidney in adult Wistar rat exposed to oral administration of the aqueous extract. A total of twenty (20) male Wistar rat were divided into four (4) groups of five (5) animals. Group 1 (control) received water and feed liberally and three experimental groups (2-4) were administered with 100mg/kg, 200mg/kg and 300mg/kg aqueous extract once daily for 21 days. On completion of administration, the animals were sacrificed by cervical dislocation, dissected, kidney removed and fixed in 10% formol saline. The fixed tissues were processed for routine histological studies, sectioned at 5microns and stained with haematoxylin and eosin technique. Data obtained were expressed as mean ±SEM. Result showed reduction in the total body weight in the treated group when initial weight is compared with the final body weight. Histopathology result showed no marked alteration in the Histo-morphological features of the renal tissue. Aqueous extract of carica papaya seed showed weight reduction potentials without marked damage to the renal histomorphology. Subsequent studies should evaluate renal function parameters and ultra-structural evaluation
to corroborate these findings.