Ethanol Extract of Senecio biafrae leaves Ameliorates Mercury Chloride-induced Hepatic Parenchymal CellDamage in Adult Wistar Rats
Keywords:
Mercury chloride, Senecio biafrae leaves, Hepatic injury, Hepatocytes, Hepatic Acinus, SilymarinAbstract
Background: Mercury chloride (HgCl₂) is a pervasive environmental toxin with well-documented hepatotoxic effects, primarily attributed to its ability to induce oxidative stress and disrupt cellular integrity. This study assessed the effects of ethanol extract of Senecio biafrae leaves (EESBL) on the histoarchitecture of adult Wistar rats following mercury chloride-induced hepatic injury.
Methods: Thirty-five adult Wistar rats were assigned to seven groups of five rats each. All groups except the control received 4 mg/kg of mercury chloride orally for 21 days, while the control received distilled water. Group 2 rats were sacrificed after mercury exposure; group 3 rats underwent a 21-day recovery. Group 4 rats received 2 mg/kg of Silymarin, and groups 5–7 received 200, 400, and 600 mg/kg of Senecio biafrae leaves extract, respectively, orally for 21 days. After treatment, rats were euthanized, and liver tissues were weighed, processed via paraffin wax embedding method, and stained with hematoxylin and eosin for demonstration of general histoarchitecture. Data collected were analyzed using One-way ANOVA, followed by Tukey's post hoc test for multiple comparisons. Results were expressed as mean ± standard error of mean, with a level of significance set at p<0.05.
Results: Histological analyses revealed that mercury chloride caused marked damage in the rats' liver histoarchitecture, showing varying degrees of cellular degeneration, hepatocyte vacuolation, congested central vein, and necroinflammation around the periportal zone. However, ethanol extract of Senecio biafrae leaves reversed most changes in a dose-dependent manner comparable to the silymarin-treated group.
Conclusion: The study concluded that the EESBL has an ameliorative potential in stabilizing hepatic tissue architecture and supporting structural restoration in the liver following mercury chloride-induced hepatotoxicity.
