AMELIORATIVE EFFECTS OF WATERMELON PEEL EXTRACT ON CADMIUM- INDUCED CARDIAC HISTOPATHOLOGY IN WISTAR RATS
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Abstract
Environmental pollution by cadmium poses significant cardiovascular health risks, particularly in developing nations experiencing rapid industrialization.
This study investigated the ameliorative effects of watermelon peel extract on cadmium-induced cardiac
histopathology in Wistar rats. Twenty-five Wistar rats were randomly divided into five groups: control (distilled water), cadmium only, cadmium plus Vitamin C, cadmium plus 250mg/kg watermelon peel extract, and cadmium plus 500mg/kg watermelon peel extract. Animals received oral administration thrice weekly over 60 days following a two-phase induction and treatment protocol. Cadmium exposure resulted in elevated cardiac cadmium accumulation (0.240 mg/g versus 0.117 mg/g in controls) and suppressed body weight gain. Watermelon peel extract provided dose-dependent cardioprotection, with the 500mg/kg dose achieving 58% reduction in cardiac cadmium levels (0.102 mg/g) and improved body weight gain (74.44%), approaching the efficacy of Vitamin C (63% reduction, 0.089 mg/g). The 250mg/kg dose demonstrated moderate protection with 39% cadmium reduction.
Histopathological examination revealed preserved myocardial architecture across all groups with intact cardiomyocyte arrangement and well-defined cross-striations, suggesting the exposure period represented an early phase where biochemical changes occurred without microscopic structural damage.
The findings demonstrate that watermelon peel extract provides significant dose-dependent protection against cadmium bioaccumulation in cardiac tissue, supporting its potential as a locally accessible natural intervention for populations at risk of environmental cadmium exposure.
This study investigated the ameliorative effects of watermelon peel extract on cadmium-induced cardiac
histopathology in Wistar rats. Twenty-five Wistar rats were randomly divided into five groups: control (distilled water), cadmium only, cadmium plus Vitamin C, cadmium plus 250mg/kg watermelon peel extract, and cadmium plus 500mg/kg watermelon peel extract. Animals received oral administration thrice weekly over 60 days following a two-phase induction and treatment protocol. Cadmium exposure resulted in elevated cardiac cadmium accumulation (0.240 mg/g versus 0.117 mg/g in controls) and suppressed body weight gain. Watermelon peel extract provided dose-dependent cardioprotection, with the 500mg/kg dose achieving 58% reduction in cardiac cadmium levels (0.102 mg/g) and improved body weight gain (74.44%), approaching the efficacy of Vitamin C (63% reduction, 0.089 mg/g). The 250mg/kg dose demonstrated moderate protection with 39% cadmium reduction.
Histopathological examination revealed preserved myocardial architecture across all groups with intact cardiomyocyte arrangement and well-defined cross-striations, suggesting the exposure period represented an early phase where biochemical changes occurred without microscopic structural damage.
The findings demonstrate that watermelon peel extract provides significant dose-dependent protection against cadmium bioaccumulation in cardiac tissue, supporting its potential as a locally accessible natural intervention for populations at risk of environmental cadmium exposure.
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