Anatomie et physiologie : recherches en cours
Libre accès
ISSN: 2161-0940
ISSN: 2161-0940
Dare BJ, Oyewopo AO, Saalu LC, Kadir RE, Osinubi AAA and Yama OE
Background: There are several beneficial effects of grapefruit (Citrus paradisi) in scientific literature, coupled with nutritional uses as an excellent source of many nutrients and photochemicals; able to contribute to a healthy diet. Studies have shown that grapefruit helps lowered cholesterol and there is evidence that the seeds have high level of antioxidant properties. Histological study of the effects of oral administration of extract of grape fruit juice on the cerebellum of adult male Wistar rats was therefore studied. Methods: The rats (n=20), weighing between 160 g-225 g were divided into four group (A, B, C and D), with each group consisting five rats. Groups A, B and C were the experimental groups and group D was the control group. The rats in the experimental groups received different doses of grape fruit juice extract orally, using a cannula for fourteen days. Group A received 0.6 ml/gBW/day of grapefruit juice, Group B received 0.8 ml/gBW/day of grapefruit juice and group C received 1.0 ml/gBW/day of grapefruit juice. Group D (control group) received equal volume of distilled water without the extract grapefruit juice added. The rats were sacrificed on day fifteen of the experiment. Cerebellum was carefully dissected out and quickly fixed in 10% formal saline for routine histological studies using H/E stain. Results: The histological findings indicated that the treated sections of the cerebellum showed a dose dependent cellular degeneration of the granular layer and atrophic changes in the Purkinje cells of the Purkinje layer. Conclusions: This research work indicates that grapefruit juice consumption at higher dose may probably has adverse effects on the Purkinje and granule cells of the cerebellum.