Adverse Potentials of Herbal Administration of Ethanolic Root Bark and Leaf Extracts of Rauwolfia vomitoria on Cerebellar Cytoarchitecture of Wistar Rats

Abstract

The use of herbal medicine in Nigeria has become increasingly abused since there is no standardization in measurement and dosages. People consume these herbal products at will not minding the adverse impact it creates to the body. This study was aimed at investigating the adverse effect posed by administration of Rauwolfia vomitoria (root bark and leaf extracts) on cerebellar cytoarchitecture. 30 adult Wistar rats were used (n=5). Histological studies of the cerebellar cortex using H &E method showed a dose-dependent distortion of the cerebellar cytoarchitecture characterized by reduction in size and number of Purkinje cells, distortion of the Purkinje cell layer as well as reduction in cell population in both the molecular and granular layers in the experimental groups (200/300 mg/kg body weight of root-bark and leaf extracts). However, these changes were more prominent in groups that were treated with ethanolic root-bark extract of Rauwolfia vomitoria. It may be concluded that precautions should be imbibed while taking this herb.