Abstract
Introduction. Rauwolfia vomitoria is a plant used as a sedative and in the treatment of psychotic tendency. This study was on the teratogenic effects of its root bark and leaf extracts on Wistar rat’s fetal femurs. Materials and Methods. Twenty-five female rats weighing between 180 and 200 g were divided into 5 groups, of 5 rats each. Group A was the control, while Groups B, C, D, and E were the experimental. The female rats were mated with mature male rats to allow for pregnancy. Groups B and C animals received orally 150 mg/kg each of the root bark and leaf extracts of Rauwolfia vomitoria, respectively, while Groups D and E animals received 250 mg/kg bodyweight each of the root bark and leaf extracts of Rauwolfia vomitoria, respectively, from day 7 to day 11 of gestation. On day 20 of gestation, the rats were sacrificed, the fetuses were examined, and their femurs were dissected out and preserved, decalcified, and routinely processed using the Haematoxylin and Eosin staining method. Results. Histological observations of the fetal femur bones showed numerous osteoblast and osteoclast, hypertrophy, and hyperplasia of bone cells compared with the control. Conclusion. Ethanolic root bark and leaf extracts of Rauwolfia vomitoria may lead to advanced skeletal development.
Highlights
Rauwolfia vomitoria is a plant used as a sedative and in the treatment of psychotic tendency
Hypertrophy and hyperplasia of bone cells, osteoblast, and osteocytes were seen in Group E animals whose mothers received 250 mg/kg of the leaf extract of Rauwolfia vomitoria (Figure 5)
Bone is a specialized connective tissue composed of intercellular calcified material, the bone matrix, and three cell types: osteocytes which are found in the cavities within the matrix; osteoblasts which synthesis the organic components of the matrix and osteoclasts which are multinucleated giant cells involved in the resorption and remodeling of bone tissue [12]
Summary
Rauwolfia vomitoria is a plant used as a sedative and in the treatment of psychotic tendency. Herbalism has become the main stream throughout the world This is due in part to the recognition of the value of traditional medical systems, of the Asian origin, and the identification of medicinal plants from indigenous pharmacopeias shown to have significant healing power, either in their natural state or as the source of new pharmaceuticals. These formulations are considered moderate in efficacy and less toxic than most synthetic pharmaceutical agents [1]. Rauwolfia is reported to contain indole alkaloids which includes yohimbine, reserpine, rescinnamine, raucaffricine, ajmaline, and ajmalicine [9] These may be responsible for the different properties exhibited by the plant
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