Effects of nutmeg (Myristica fragrans) powder on the microscopic architecture of the liver of adult male Wistar rats

Abstract

The present study was designed to investigate some effect of nutmeg (Myristica fragans) powder on the microscopic architecture of the liver of adult Wistar rats. Twenty (20) adult male Wistar rats of an average weight of 140g were used in the study. The rats were randomly distributed into four (4) groups (n= 5). Group A served as the control group while group B, group C and group D served as the treatment group receiving low (250mg/kg), medium (500mg/kg) and high (750mg/kg) doses of nutmeg powder for 4 weeks respectively. After 4 weeks of administration, animals were sacrificed with overdose of anesthetic and the liver harvested, weighed and immediately fixed in 10% formol saline. Afterwards, the tissues were processed for histological assessment. The result revealed that the administration of nutmeg powder had no noxious effect on the liver but only that there was dilation of sinusoids in the liver of animals in group D with a little of hepatocytes concentration towards the central vein. Also animals were seen to be gaining weight significantly every week during the period of administration. There was also no effect on the relative organ weight of animals. The study concludes that nutmeg showed no toxic or noxious effect on the liver.

Keywords: Nutmeg, Liver, Wistar rats, Microscopic architecture