Effects of Methanolic Leaf Extracts of Azadirachta indica and Spondias mombin on the Kidneys Histology of Zidovudine Stress Induced Wistar Rats

The kidneys play a role in the maintenance of homeostasis by ensuring the excreton of waste and toxic substances from the body. Oxidative stress could be defined as an imbalance between the production of reactive oxygen species and an inability of the body system to scavenge the presence of free radicals. Intake of certain drugs and toxic substances exposes the kidneys to oxidative stress effects and this may lead to impairment of homeostasis and malfunctioning of the kidney. This study was carried out to access the efficacy in administration of single herbal extracts of either Azadirachta indica or Spondias mombin when compared to the combination of both herbal extracts in ameliorating the effects of oxidative stress in wistar rats kidney. The study was carried out using 25 male adult wistar rats of weight 180-200 g, the animals were randomly selected and were designated into groups A (Negative control group that received Rat chow and water, group B is the positive control group that received the administration of 450 mg/kg body weight of zidovudine drug, group C is the A. indica group that received 450 mg weight of zidovudine drug and 500 mg/kg body weight of methanoic leaf extract /kg body, group D is the S. mombin group that received 450 mg/kg body weight of zidovudine drug and 500mg/kg body weight of methanolic leaf extract and group E received a 450 mg/kg body weight of zidovudine and a combination of 500 mg/kg body weight of both methanolic leaf extracts of A. indica and S. mombin leaf. T administration was carried out once a day using orogastric tube for a period 21 days. At the end of the admnistration, the rats were sacrificed using chloroform inhalation technique and the kidney was fixed in 10% neutral buffered formal saline. Light mcroscopic evaluation of the kidney showed normal histological appearance of the kidney in group A as witnessed by the presence of glomerulus, proximal convoluted tubule (PCT), distal convoluted tubule (DCT), bowmans space (BS), while group B witnessed alterations in the histology of the liver as shown by the presence of haemorrhage in the glomerulus, shrinkage in the proximal and distal convoluted tubule and shrinkage of the bowmans space, group C and D witnesseed a restoration of the kidneys histology as evidenced by a reduction of haemorrhage in the glomerulus and shrinkage PCT and DCT. Group E showed an enlargement of the Bowmans space and shrinkage of the PCT and DCT. Hence the results proved the efficacy of single administration of herbal extracts in ameliorating the effects of oxidative stress when compared with the combination of the herbal extracts.