Soursop leaf extract increases neuroglia and hepatic degeneration in female rats

Abstract

BACKGROUND Soursop leaf contains annonaceous acetogenins and alkaloids. The acetogenins act as inhibitors of mitochondrial complex I, suppress ATP production and cause cell degeneration, whereas the alkaloids act as neurotoxins. Neuronal degeneration will be followed by an increase in neuroglia (gliosis). Hepatic clear cell foci represent the morphology of liver degeneration. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of soursop leaf extract on number of neuroglia brain gliosis and hepatic clear cells in female rats. METHODS This study was an experimental study with a post-test only control group design. Ten female Sprague-Dawley strain rats were divided into one control and one treatment group. The control group was gavaged with distilled water, while the treatment group was gavaged with aqueous soursop leaf extract at a dose of 1000 mg/kgBW/day for 90 days. Rat brain tissue samples were taken at day 91 with a transcardial perfusion technique. The number of neuroglia in rat cerebral cortex, hippocampus, substantia nigra, and nucleus accumbens and the number of hepatic clear cells were determined. Independent t-test was used to examine the differences in the numbers of neuroglia and hepatic clear cells between control and treatment groups RESULTS The results of independent t-test analysis found a significant difference in the number of neuroglia in the cerebral cortex (p=0.015) and nucleus accumbens of the rats (p=0.030), and significant differences in the number of hepatic clear cells (p=0.029). CONCLUSIONS Aqueous soursop leaf extract orally increases neuroglia of the cerebral cortex and nucleus accumbens, and hepatic degeneration in female rats.