Pathological Evaluation of Subchronic Administration of Moringa Oleifera Ethanolic Leaf Extract on Mice

Objectives: This research evaluated the consequences of repeated administration of M. oleifera ethanolic leaf extract (MOEL) orally on kidneys, liver and the blood of female Institute of Cancer Research (ICR)-mice. Methods: Fifty (50) 8-week-old female mice were assigned into 5 groups of 10 mice each: groups 1 (control), 2 (125 mg/kg), 3 (250 mg/kg), 4 (500 mg/kg) and 5 (1000 mg/kg) for the sub-chronic toxicity studies of the extract. A 90-day repeated daily oral doses of MOEL extracts were administered to each mouse in the treatment groups through oral gavage. However, distilled water was administered to the control group (group 1). The mice were euthenised at the end of the experiments to collect and analysed samples. Results: An obvious ( p < 0.05) elevation in the levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) was observed in group 5 (437.50 ± 28.63 U/L) compared to 1 (239.10 ± 22.50 U/L), and then a significant ( p < 0.05) elevation in aspartate aminotransferase (AST) concentration in group 5 (355.90 ± 26.45 U/L) compared to 1 (207.90 ± 19.67 U/L). Histopathological evaluation of the liver revealed a moderate liver degeneration indicated by moderate vacuolation of the cytoplasm in group 5 (1.70 ± 0.24) compared to 1 (0.35 ± 0.18), as well as mild hepatic necrosis characterised by mild eosinophilic cytoplasm (1.10 ± 0.3) of the hepatocytes in group 5 compared to 1 (0.00 ± 0.00). There was also a moderate renal cytoplasmic vacuolation in group 5 (2.20 ± 0.08) compared to 1 (0.00 ± 0.00). Moreover, a moderate to severe kidney necrosis indicated by significant ( p < 0.05) eosinophilic cytoplasm was observed in groups 4 (1.95 ± 0.09) and 5 (2.45 ± 0.05) compared 1 (0.00 ± 0.00), pyknosis (0.90 ± 0.27) and karyolysis (0.60 ± 0.26) were significantly ( p < 0.05) higher in groups 4 (1.15 ± 0.34) and 5 (1.75 ± 0.24) compared to 1 (0.00 ± 0.00). Conclusions: It is concluded from this study that MOEL extract at high dose of 1000 mg/kg is associated with hepatic and renal toxicity in ICR-mice.