Effect of aqueous extract of Dioclea grandiflora Mart. ex Benth on kidneys of mice (Mus musculus Linnaeus, 1758)

Abstract

The purpose of this study was evaluate and quantify morphologic alterations in mice kidneys treated with aqueous extract of Dioclea grandiflora Mart. ex Benth., a medicine plant spread along semi wilderness and plateau regions in Northeastern Brazil, utilized by the low income population for preparing infusions on prostatic and renal diseases. Sixteen swiss albino mice (Mus musculus Linnaeus) have been divided at the age of about 45 and 60 days, and average weight of 22 to 32 g in two groups of eight animals each. The group control was given a salt solution 0,9% of NaCl and the group experimental was given the Dioclea grandiflora aqueous extract dissolved in physiological serum (NaCl 0.9%) during seven days via ntraperitoneal. The extract of dosage for the treatment explained above has been 62 mg/kg according to the lethal dosage 50. After the euthanasia of the animals, kidneys have been selected post-laterally and subjected to histological routine. Statistical analysis was conducted using the Mann-Whitney test the accepted level of significance was p<0.05. In this histological study it was noticed significant structural differences among groups analyzed as: glomerular hiperemy, tubular degeneration, glomerular tuft disorganization and cell proliferation in the mesangial matrix. In the morphometrical analysis it was observed renal corpuscles area reductions glomerule and subcapsular space. The results enable to suggest histopathologic and morphometrical alterations are due to the magnitude of plant’s toxical action on renal components. Therefore the research shows the importance of studies involving medicine plants and their possible toxical effects.