Biology and Medicine

Abstract

The histological effects of mixed diet containing Pausinystalia yohimbe ground stem bark on the kidney of adult Wistar rats (Rattus norvegicus)

AO Eweka, FAE Om

The effect of yohimbine, used as an aphrodisiac and for the treatment of erectile dysfunction in males on the kidneys of adult Wistar rat was investigated. Both adult male and female Wistar rats (n=30), average weight of 190g, were randomly assigned into three treatments (n=24) and control (n=6) groups; labeled A (n=8), B (n=8), C (n=8) and D, control (n=6) groups respectively and were administered with ground stem bark of Pausinystalia yohimbe in various amounts; Group A: 30g, Group B: 50g and Group C: 70g mixed with equal amount of feeds (550grams/day of growers’ mash) for a period of 14 days. The control rats received equal amount of the growers’ mash without ground stem bark of Pausinystalia yohimbe added. The growers’ mash was obtained from Edo Feeds and Flour Mill Ltd, Ewu, Edo State and the rats were given water liberally. The rats were sacrificed on day fifteen of the experiment. The kidneys were carefully dissected out and quickly fixed in 10% buffered formaldehyde for routine histological procedures. The histological findings in the treated groups showed distortion of the renal cortical structures, vacuolations appearing in the stroma and some degree of cellular necrosis, with degenerative and atrophic changes as compared to the control group. These findings indicate that yohimbine may have some deleterious effects on the kidneys of adult Wistar rats at varied doses. It is recommended that further studies aimed at corroborating these findings be carried out.