Detrimental Effects of Mango Stem Bark on the Histology of the Prefrontal Cortex of Young Wistar Rats

Abstract

The use of herbal preparations as a form of traditional medicine is common in this environment. The histological effects of crude aqueous extract of Mango stem bark was studied in pups of Wistar rats exposed to the extract during their intra-uterine life. Fifteen adult female rats were mated and grouped into three equal groups. Group A animals received water throughout gestation and served as Control, while Groups B and C were treated with 1 ml of the extract during the 2^nd and 3^rd trimesters respectively. Observation revealed lower birth weights in Group B, but higher birth weights in Group C, compared with the Control. Various degrees of architectural disruptions and degeneration were also noticed in the histological sections of the prefrontal cortex, which were nd more pronounced in the pups exposed to the extract during the 2^nd trimester. The use of concoction of Mango stem bark should be discouraged, and more importantly during pregnancy, in view of its toxic effects on the developing brain, and as a potential predisposing factor to neurological dysfunctions.

Keywords: mango stem bark, detrimental effect, prefrontal cortex, prenatal