Rose O.Imade

Uterine fibroids also known as leiomyomas are the most common benign tumors of the female reproductive tract which is mostly seen in women of reproductive age. Tetrapleura tetraptera is mostly used in herbal medicine for the management and/or control of a wide range of human ailments, which includes arthritis and other inflammatory conditions.This study aimed at evaluating the anti-fibroid potential of the ethanol extract of the stem bark of Tetrapleura tetraptera plant on monosodium glutamate induced fibroid in Sprague-Dawley rats.The objective of the study was to evaluate the ability of the extract to reduce Monosodium glutamate induced increase in cholesterol, total protein and estradiol respectively. The study also assessed the effect of the extract in ameliorating leiomyoma formation through histological studies. The stem bark of Tetrapleura tetraptera were dried, pulverized by milling, extracted using soxhlet apparatus and concentrated using a water bath. The percentage of the extract obtained from the bark of Tetrapleura tetraptera was 21.27% after extraction. For the preventive treatment the rats were divided into five groups (A, B, C, D, and E), of five rats each. Group A (control) received only food and water. In other to stimulate uterine fibroid, groups B, C, D, and E were given 800 mg/kg of MSG for 30 days. Then, groups C, D, and E were also given 100, 200, and 400 mg/kg of T. tetraptera stem bark extract, respectively alongside the MSG, once daily for 30 days. For the curative treatment; Five rats divided into groups labelled A,B,C,D and E respectively were used. Group A (control) received only food and water. In other to stimulate uterine fibroid, groups B, C, D, and E were given 800 mg/kg of MSG for 30 days. Then, groups C, D, and E were also given 100, 200, and 400 mg/kg of the extract respectively once daily from the 31st day for another 30 days after which the animals were sacrificed on the 61st day.All administration was done by the means of oral gavage. The animals were sacrificed, blood samples were collected and assessed.Histopathology studies of the uterus in addition to serum total protein, total cholesterol and estradiol levels were determined. Significant increase in cholesterol and estradiol levels were observed in MSGtreated animals in relation to the groups treated with the extract in both treatment groups.There was no significant difference in the protein levels when different concentrations groups were compared to MSG group (p>0.05).The extract prevented and also led to a mild reversal of these biomarkers in the curative group of this study.MSG also resulted in endometrial epithelium distortion and lamina propria fibrosis while the extract ameliorated the distortion observed in the
uterus. These findings suggest that T. tetraptera stem bark extract contains bioactive constituents that are useful in having amore preventive effect than curative effect in the management of fibroid as it reduces serum hormone levels which play roles in the etiology of uterine fibroid