Histopathological transformation of tissues of guinea pigs fed with plants from four highway in parts of Obio/Akpor (Port Harcourt), Rivers State, Nigeria

The toxicity of air pollution has been proven to be the main threat to human as well as animals and it is associated with a lot of health risks. The outcome of vehicular emissions and anthropogenic activities on vegetation along four major busy highway (Aba road, Ikwerre road, East/West road and NTA road) with severe traffic density in parts of Obio/Akpor Local Government Area and a control (in Ozuguru, Ikwerre Ngwo) in Etche Local Government Area, Rivers State, Nigeria were studied. At each sampling location, four sampling points were ascertained. Eighteen guinea pigs were fed with the leaves of four test plants (Panicum maximum Jacq., Eleusine indica L., Xanthosoma mafafa Schott. and Amaranthus spinosus L.) to determine the effects of pollutants on their tissues (kidney and liver). The data obtained were analyzed statistically using descriptive statistics, one way analysis of variance (ANOVA). The result of the enzyme marker was observed that East/West road had the highest AST, ALP, ALT, GGT, urea and creatinine levels with values (84.67±2.2), (142.33±6.4), (72.67±0.9), (2.07±0.15), (37.67±1.76) and (3.1±0.12) respectively while NTA road had the least with values (71.67±0.88), (116.33 ± 2.91), (62.67±1.45), (1.63 ± 0.09), (34.0±0.58) and (2.5 ± 0.12) respectively. The enzyme markers from the exposed animals were higher than the reference values and their histopathological tissues revealed lysed tissues while the control and pretest group fell within the reference values and their tissues were healthy.