European Journal of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences

ULTRASTRUCTURAL AND FUNCTIONAL CHANGES IN THE RAT COLON EXPOSED TO FLUORIDE AND THE POSSIBLE AMELIORATIVE ROLE OF BOERHAAVIA DIFFUSA L.

*Shashi A. and Sukhmanjeet Kaur

ABSTRACT

This experimental study investigates the potential therapeutic effects of Boerhaavia diffusa L. leaf extract on the
colon of rats exposed to sodium fluoride. Wistar albino rats were divided into six groups. Control group (1)
received 1ml of deionized water for a period of 40 days while the control groups (2 and 3) received 250 and 500
mg/kg b.w./day of leaf extract of Boerhaavia diffusa L. for 20 days. The experimental group was treated with 600
mg/kg bw/day of sodium fluoride by oral gavage. The fluoride treated groups were post-treated with 250 and 500
mg/ kg b.w./ day of Boerhaavia diffusa L. for 20 days respectively. The animals were sacrificed at the end of
experimentation period and the colon tissue was taken out and processed for biochemical, histopathological and
electron microscopic examination. The results revealed that the rats treated with 600 mg of sodium fluoride
showed scattered and complete loss of villi. Hypertrophy of cells, inflammation, damaged crypts, irregular nucleus
and decreased villi height were also observed. After post-treatment with leaf extract of Boerhaavia diffusa L., the
colon of fluoridated rats showed almost normal structures with reappearance of villi, improved structure of villus
tips and increase in number of cells and indicated that the administration of leaf extract was proven to lessen the
detrimental effects of fluoride. The findings indicate that the leaf extract of Boerhaavia diffusa L. reduces the
disruptions in the colon of rat caused by fluoride.

Keywords: Albino rats, Antioxidant enzymes, Boerhaavia diffusa L., Colon, Electron microscopy, Light microscopy, Sodium fluoride.