Effects of Aqueous Leaf Extract of Amaranthus tricolor On the Liver of the Adult Wistar Rat

Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of aqueous leaf extract of Amaranthus tricolor on the liver of adult Wistar rats. 24 adult Wistar rats weighing between 250g and 280g were randomly assigned into 4 groups; (A-D) comprising of 6 rats per group. Group A rats were placed on rat food and water only. Group B rats received 100mg/kg body weight / day (BWT/D) of Amaranthus tricolor leaf extract. Group C rats received 300mg/kg BWT/D of Amaranthus tricolor leaf extract. Group D rats received 600mg/kg BWT/D of Amaranthus tricolor leaf extract. The dosages were given for 56 consecutive days via orogastric method. At the end of the 56^th day, the animals were sacrificed under chloroform anaesthesia and the liver was harvested and processed for histological examination. The histological sections of the liver of the control group (Group A) showed normal histoarchitecture of hepatocytes radiating from the central vein with intervening sinusoids. There were no observable histological variations in the liver histoarchitecture of the rats treated with 100 mg/kg body weight (Group B), 300 mg/kg body weight (Group C) and 600 mg/kg body weight (Group D) of Amaranthus tricolor leaf extract. It was therefore concluded that Amaranthus tricolor leaf extract has no histomorphologic effects on the liver tissue of Wistar rats.