Effects of Hydro-Alcohol Extract of Mistletoe (Englerina drummomdii Balla ex Polhil & Wiens) Leaves on Histology of Ovaries and Uterine Tissues of Female Rats

Abstract

This paper evaluates the effects of hydro-alcohol extract of Englerina drummomdii Balla ex Polhil & Wiens leaves on the histology of ovaries and uterine tissues of female Wistar rats using appropriate standard methods with forty-nine (49) Wistar rats weighing between 160g to 180g were used for the study. Data obtained show that hydro-alcohol extract of Englerina drummomdii Balla ex Polhil & Wiens leaves when administered at a dose of 200mg/kg of extract, shows numerous viable follicles. Ovarian tissue shows atretic (AF) and degenerated follicles (DF) when treated with Monosodium glutamate (MSG) alone. And when MSG is co-administered with extract at a dose of 200mg/kg, it causes partial or complete blocks of ovarian tissues. 100mg of extract only caused degeneration of follicles with atretic follicles (AF). When mistletoe extract in low dose (extract 100mg/kg + MSG 800mg/kg) was co-administered with MSG 800mg/kg, it shows recovered secondary follicles (SF), mature ova (MO), germinal and growing follicles follicles, (GF). Mistletoe at low dose, high dose cause degeneration of ovarian and uterine tissues and when extract at 100mg/kg and MSG 800mg/kg is co-administered, it tends to restore the alterations in the histology of both the ovaries and uterine tissues.