Histopathological Assessment of Cardiac Tissue in Arsenic Trioxide-Induced Wistar rats: Effects of Ethanol Leaf Extract of <i>Irvingia gabonensis</i>

BACKGROUND AND AIM: The toxic effects of drugs and other related substances have attracted concerns from scientists. The passion about the availability of effective and cheap substances against organotoxicity in humans is increasing daily. This work assessed the histopathological changes in the heart of arsenic trioxide-induced Wistar rats and the effects of ethanol leaf extract of Irvingia gabonensis. METHODOLOGY: Forty-two adult Wistar rats weighing between 160-190g were randomly divided into six groups of seven rats each. Group A served as the control, Group B received 10 mg/kg body weight of arsenic trioxide only, Groups C and D received 250 and 500 m/kg body weights of ethanol leaf extract of Irvingia gabonensis only respectively, Groups E and F received 250 and 500 mg/kg body weights of ethanol leaf extract of Irvingia gabonensis in addition to 10 mg/kg body weight of arsenic trioxide respectively. All administrations were through oral route for 28 days. After sacrifice, cardiac tissues were harvested, fixed in 10% neutral buffered formalin and processed for haematoxylin and eosin staining. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Histological findings show that arsenic trioxide caused vascular distortion, perivascular infiltrates of inflammatory cells and focal myocardial degeneration. Treatment with graded doses of ethanol leaf extract of Irvingia gabonensis achieved a remarkable amelioration, with 250 mg/kg body weight having a better ameliorative effect, thus suggesting that ethanol leaf extract of Irvingia gabonensis exhibits cardioprotective activity against arsenic trioxide-induced damage and could be a potential cardioprotective substance.