Abstract
The increase in consumption of herbal liquors in Nigeria is a cause for alarm. These are consumed with the mis-conception that they are without toxic effects. The aim of this study is to investigate the genotoxic and histopathological alterations in rats exposed to herbal liquors. Female rats were exposed to herbal liquors for 6 weeks. The histopathological and genotoxic evaluation were done to assess extent of damage. Pathological examination revealed incidences of aggregates chronic inflammatory cell infiltrates in the heart of Jedi treated group while the heart of the other groups had no abnormalities. The histologic sections of the kidney tissue revealed congested vessels while the lung showed reduction in air filled alveolar spaces with infiltration of alveoli and interstitium by aggregates of inflammatory cells indnadicating moderate to severe pulmonary inflammation. Histologic sections of lung tissue in rats treated with herbal liquors reveals congestion of pulmonary vessels and interstitial hemorrhages. Genotoxic evaluation of rat lymphocytes exposed to herbal liquors via comet assay shows that rats administered with the different herbal liquors developed significant (p < 0.05) as revealed in the % DNA in tail, % DNA in head, olive moment, tail length and tail moment which indicates the presence of DNA strand breaks and a marker for oxidative DNA damage. This result reveals that herbal liquors contain substances that produce reactive oxygen species that have pathological effect on certain organs as well as inducing DNA strand breaks that could compromise the integrity of the DNA which can lead to mutation.
Highlights
The increase in the intake of herbal liquors in Nigeria is alarming as these herbal liquors are consumed with the idea that herbs are natural and has no toxic effects
This result reveals that herbal liquors contain substances that produce reactive oxygen species that have pathological effect on certain organs as well as inducing DNA strand breaks that could compromise the integrity of the DNA which can lead to mutation
The histopathology examination of rat brain, ovaries, muscle and liver tissues exposed to herbal liquors showed intact and normal cellular architecture in the control group as well as in all the groups administered with herbal liquors
Summary
The increase in the intake of herbal liquors in Nigeria is alarming as these herbal liquors are consumed with the idea that herbs are natural and has no toxic effects. Herbal liquors may contain toxic materials that are detrimental or have harmful effects after a long period of consumption. There is a general belief that herbal medicines are natural and without adverse effects. This has contributed to the increase in the patronage of herbal formulations [4]. This popular belief has been proven otherwise [5;6]
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