HISTOMORPHOLOGICAL EFFECT OF SUBCHRONIC ADMINISTRATION OF AQUEOUS EXTRACT OF SCENT LEAF (OCIMUM GRATISSIMUM) ON THE STOMACH OF ADULT WISTER RATS.

ABSTRACT Introduction: Medicinal plants are used in traditional and complementary medicine for the treatment, management, or prevention of various diseases. Ocimum gratissimum L., popularly known as scent leaf, is one of the discovered medicinal plants with the potential to serve as and alternative therapy for the treatment of various ailments or as a source of a new drug. The stomach is an important organ and the most dilated portion of the digestive system The main function of the stomach is to store food and release it to the intestines at a rate whereby the intestines can process it. Aim: To assess the histological evaluation of subchronic administration of ocimum gratissimum on the staomach of adult wistar rat. Place of study: Department Of Medical Laboratory Science College Of Health Sciences, Joseph Ayo Babalola University Ikeji Arakeji, Osun State, Nigeria. Methods: Twenty wistar rats were divided into four groups [n=5] in which the Group A is the control group feed with just distilled water and feed, Group B received 300mg/kg of Ocimum gratissimum extract, Group C received 400mg/kg of Ocimum gratissimum extract and lastly Group D received 500mg/kg of Ocimum gratissimum for a period of two weeks. The animals were sacrificed through cervical dislocation and organs were harvested for Histological stains and Blood samples were also collected for full blood count. Data obtained from the study were analyzed using one-way ANOVA and subjected to graph pad prism. Result: The stomach weight shows a significant increase in the average dose (F =7.227; P< 0.0050) The Full blood count parameters: The hemoglobin shows a significant increase in the higher dose (F = 60.00; P< 0.0001). The white blood cell shows a significant increase in the higher dose (F = 118.9; P< 0.0001).The platelets shows a significant increase in the higher dose (F = 2798; P < 0.0001). The packed cell volume shows a significant increase in the higher dose (F = 13920; P< 0.0001). The antioxdative stress markers: The catalase shows a significant decrease at the higher dose (F = 45.76; P< 0.0001). The superoxide (SOD) shows a significant decrease at the lower dose (F = 4.025; P< 0.0340). The malondialdehyde (MDA) shows a significant increase at the higher dose (F = 18.54; P< 0.0001). Conclusion: In summary, the study revealed a well differentiated and organized mucosa layer, Increased gastric glands, thickened muscularis layer, congested submucosa layer and increased antioxidant enzyme activities in the stomach of treated rats. Ocimum gratissimum extract exhibits gastroprotective effects on the stomach, potentially enhancing mucosal defense mechanisms and reduce gastric acid secretion. Keywords: Ocimum gratissimum, scent leaf, stomach, gastroprotection, histomorphology, biochemistry, wistar rats.