Cardiac histopathological, morphometric, and inflammatory responses to co-administration of Odogwu Bitters and Goko Cleanser in Wistar rats

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Purpose: To investigate the histopathological, morphometric and biochemical alterations in the hearts of adult male Wistar rats following the combined administration of Odogwu Bitters and Goko Cleanser. Methods: The design involved fifty adult male Wistar rats, randomly distributed into ten groups of five animals each. The control group (A) received no treatment, while the nine treatment groups (B–J) were orally dosed with varying concentrations of Odogwu Bitters, Goko Cleanser, or combined formulations over six weeks. Following the study duration, the body and organ weights were measured. Subsequently, serum levels of IL-6 were analysed by ELISA, and heart tissue sections were prepared for histological assessment via haematoxylin and eosin staining. Results: Histological assessment revealed a reduction in myocyte density in the Odogwu Bitters and co-administration groups. In contrast, high-dose Goko Cleanser group exhibited an apparent increase in density compared to the control. Myocardial architecture remained intact across all groups, with compact bundles and preserved vasculature. All animals exhibited weight gain over the treatment period. However, the final body weights in the high-dose Odogwu Bitters and co-administration groups were significantly lower than those of control. In contrast, relative heart weights showed no significant differences across any of the groups. Serum IL-6 levels increased significantly (p < 0.05) in all treated groups. The most pronounced elevation, exceeding an eightfold increase over controls, was observed in the co-administration groups, particularly at the low-dose combination. Conclusion: In adult male Wistar rats, sub-chronic exposure to Odogwu Bitters and Goko Cleanser induces marked systemic inflammatory state, as demonstrated by a significant surge in IL-6, without causing overt histological injury to the myocardium. These findings advise caution regarding the concurrent use of such polyherbal formulations and emphasize the necessity for long-term mechanistic studies to definitively clarify their cardiovascular risks. Keywords: Biochemical markers, Herbal bitters, Organ toxicity, Rat model, Systemic inflammation, Toxicological assessment

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