The effect of Myrmecodia pendans extract toward gastric histology in white rats treated with toxic dose of gentamicin: a preliminary report

Abstract

Introduction: Myrmecodia pendans, or traditionally known as ant nest fruit, is one of popular traditional medicines in Indonesia with a wide range of effects such as antidiabetic, anticancer, and free-radical scavenging agents. Despite of the extensive research, reports regarding its toxicity are scarce. Gentamicin is also one of popular and widely used anti-biotic but it is associated with a wide range of toxicity, especially if administered at high dose. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the effect of Myrmecodia pendans extract in the mice what received toxic dose of gentamicin.Method: 24 male white rats were used and randomly divided into 4 groups: P0 (negative control), P1 (100 mg/kgBW intraperitoneal gentamicin), P2 (gentamicyn + 250 mg/kgBW myrmercodia extract), P3 (250 mg/kgBW myrmercodia extract which administered for 7 days and followed by gentamicin). The treatment was given for 10 days and all mice were sacrificed at the end of the study. The stomach was taken from each mouse and examined pathologically using Hematoxylin-Eosin (HE) staining.Results: The necrosis was found in all groups that received gentamicin (P1-P3) with P2 had the most severe necrosis. Hemorrhage was only found in group that received Myrmecodia extract (P2 and P3) and, again, P2 had higher score of hemorrhage compared to P3.Conclusion: The administration of Myrmecodia extract at 250 mg/kgBW together with toxic dose of gentamicin exacerbate the gastric tissue damage in Wistar rats.