Histological Study of the Monosodium Glutamate (MSG) and Root Back Extract of Rauvolfia vomitoria on the Kidney of Albino Rats

Aim: To provide information on the interactive influence of monosodium glutamate and root back extract of Rauvolfia vomitoria on the histology of the kidney.

Methods: Twenty-five (25) albino Wistar rats weighing between 142g to 204g were used for this research. These animals were divided into five (5) groups, containing five (5) rats in each group. Group A which served as control group, group B was administered with 4mg/kg body weight of monosodium glutamate (MSG) for 42 days, group C was administered with 8mg/kg body weight of MSG for 42 days, group D was administered 4mg/kg body weight of MSG for 28 days and also 212.5mg/kg body weight of root back extract of R. vomitoria for 14 days and group E was administered with 8mg/kg body weight of MSG for 28 days and also 425mg/kg body weight of root back extract of R. vomitoria for 14 days. The administration was done orally twice daily (morning and evening) and lasted for 42 days. After the 42 days the animals were sacrificed by chloroform inhalation anesthesia and the kidneys harvested, fixed in 10% buffered formalin processed and stained with Hematoxylin and Eosin staining technique.

Results: At the tested dose, monosodium glutamate was nephrotoxic, evident in the enlargement of the Bowman’s space, mild shrinkage of the glomerulus, hemorrhages, and tubular dilatation in group 2 animals treated with 4 mg/kg body weight of monosodium glutamate for 42 days and group 3 treated with 8 mg/kg body weight of MSG for 42 days with the severity increasing with dosage. Rauvolfia vomitoria seems to ameliorate this effect as evident in group 4 treated with 4 mg/kg body weight of MSG for 28 days and thereafter, 212.5 body weight root bark extract of R. vomitoria for 14 days.

Conclusion: The result shows that monosodium glutamate has a nephrotoxic effect which is relative with the quantity taken while R, vomitoria exert some level of ameliorative impact.