Histological Effects of Aqueous Extract of Moringa oleifera on the Liver Tissues of Wistar rats fed with High Fat Diet

Moringa oleifera belongs to family of moringaceae and is considered as one of the world’s most useful trees, as almost every part of the plant can be used for either as food, or therapeutic purposes. Fatty diet is a significant factor in the pathogenesis of non-alcoholic fatty Liver disease (NAFLD). The study was designed to examine histological effects of aqueous extract of Moringa oleifera on the liver tissues of wistar rat fed with high fat diet. Twenty five adult rats were divided into five groups of five animals each .While group A received distilled water daily only, groups Band C received aqueous extract of Moringa oleifera at doses of 200 mg/kg body weight and fat high diet (30% w/w of the total mash feed) respectively for a duration of seventy days. Others (groups D and E) received aqueous extract of Moringa oleifera at doses of 200 mg/kg body weight and fat high diet for a duration of seventy days. Histology of the liver of the rats fed with high fat diet exhibited significant changes in the architecture of liver tissue. The changes include micro and macro vascular steatosis, increased fatty infiltration, inflammation, sinusoidal dilation, degeneration of veins and vacuolization as compared to normal liver histology. Treatment with 200 mg/kg extract of Moringa oleifera significantly attenuated these effects imposed by high fat diet as compared to the control group. Therefore demonstrated that daily administration of Moringa oleifera leaves extract to rats for a period of 70 days may reverse the formation of hepatic steatosis in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.