AQUEOUS EXTRACT OF Spondias mombin (HOG PLUM) COULD POSSESS HEPATOCYTIC POTENTIALS AFTER INGESTION OF MONOSODIUM GLUTAMATE (MSG) BY WISTAR RATS

摘要

Intake of chemicals like monosodium glutamate (MSG), mostly used as food seasoning, enhance theprevalence of leiomyoma. Leiomyoma has no known cure but leaves have been in use,locally, in its management among Igbos of South-Eastern Nigeria. This work investigated the effect of . extract on hepatocytes after ingesting MSG. Twenty-one rats used in this study were divided intothree groups of seven rats each and acclimatized. Two groups had fibroid after daily ingestion of 750mg/kgbody weight of MSG for 28 days. Negative control had no fibroid. Positive control had fibroid and remaineduntreated. Group III, with fibroid, were continuously fed with same dose of MSG for the next 28 days inaddition to daily oral treatment with 250mg/kg body weight of aqueous extract of .Histological examinations of rat's hepatocytes were performed on 2 and 4 weeks, respectively, using tworats from each group for the next 28 days. Results indicated that the aqueous extract of did notpreserve rat's hepatocytes. Ingestion of . aqueous extract is deleterious to hepatocytes and couldlead to other liver diseases. Results further indicated that continuous ingestion of MSG is destructive tohepatocytes. Care should be applied while ingesting aqueous extract of . either as a prophylaxis oras a chemotherapeutic agent. Result of this study had shown that oral intake of MSG has the potential ofinducing uterine leiomyoma in experimental albino Wistar rats.