Effect of chronic consumption of cow's urine concoction on gastric mucosa of albino rat

Abstract

The effect of chronic consumption of cow’s urine concoction (CUC) and the role of tobacco leaves was studied on the gastric mucosa of Albino rats. The rats were in four groups. Three formulations were used; A full formulation of CUC (CUC-F) was prepared as directed by a herbalist; a modified formulation without tobacco leaves (CUC-NT) and a third formulation (CUC-T) has only tobacco leaves soaked in cow’s urine. These formulations were given to three separate groups of rats for a period of four weeks. The fourth group of rats were given ordinary water and normal diet as the control. The weight of the rats were monitored over the four week period. The histology of the mucosa were analysed after staining with haematoxylin and eosin dyes. Compared with the control the pyloric pits in animals administered with CUC-F showed moderate disruption with sloughing of the epithelial lining. In CUC-NT fed group, the pyloric pits showed mild disruption while in group fed with CUC-T, The pits were severely disrupted. In addition, the pyloric glands in group fed with CUC-F showed 50% reduction in glandular tissue while CUC-T fed group showed 80% reduction but the pyloric glands in group fed with CUC-NT were not reduced. Furthermore, the lamina propria showed 90% tissue loss in group fed with CUC-F, 100% in CUC-T fed group and 10% in CUC-NT group. The tissue loss were also associated with significant pseudopit formation. The results also showed changes in the staining characteristics and growth retardation in all the three groups exposed to the formulations.

Keywords: cow’s urine, gastric mucosa, histological changes, growth retardation