ETHANOL EXTRACT OF IRVINGIA GABONENSIS (BUSH MANGO) SEED INCREASES MICROBIAL LOAD IN THE COLON OF WISTAR RATS

Stella Oyom Bassey, Onot Obono Ekpe and Augustine Lishilinimye Udefa*

ABSTRACT

This study assessed the microbial load of the colon of Wistar rats treated with Irvingia gabonensis seed extract (IGSex). Eight Wistar rats (200-250g) of both sexes were divided into two groups (n=4) thus: Normal group (received normal rat feed and water) and treated group (received 250mg/kg b.w. of IGSex in addition to normal feed and water). Treatment lasted for twenty-one days and was done twice daily via orogastric intubation. Rats were sacrificed under chloroform anaesthesia and each rat’s colon was removed and put in a well labeled sample container containing normal saline. Total anaerobes, bacteriodes, coliform and enterococcus were present and their concentrations significantly (p<0.05) increased in colon of rats in the treated group compared with those in the normal group. Lactobacillus was only very slightly increased in treated group compared with normal group. Carbohydrate such as cellulose, lignin, pectin and hemicellulose were present in the colon of rats in both groups. Resin was absent in the colon of rats in the normal group but present in the treated group. There was complete absence of fungi and starch in the colon of rats in both groups. All these carbohydrates and starch were present in the seed extract with hemicellulose and lignin occurring highest and lowest in concentration respectively. IGSex therefore increased the colonic load as well as the fermentation activity of microbes such as anaerobes, bacteriodes, coliform and enterococcus in Wistar rats.

Keywords: Carbohydrate; Colon; fermentation; Irvingia gabonensis; Microbe; rat.