Abstract

A. O. Nwaopara*, C. I. P. Anibeze and F. C. Akpuaka

Yaji is a complex mixture of groundnut cake powder, additives, spices and salt. The production and consumption of Yaji is not regulated despite the excitotoxic, apoptotic and tumourigenic potentials of some of its active principles. This has been the basis for several scientific investigations aimed at determining the effect of Yaji on different body organs. The present study on the brain is intended to determine its tumourigenic potentials. Eighteen weeks old white albino rats of an average weight of 170 g were used for this study. They were divided into eight groups (A - H) of three subgroups each. Subgroup 1, 2 and 3 represents experimental periods of 2, 4 and 6 weeks respectively. Group A rats served as control and were fed with normal feed (growers mash) only, while groups B - H served as the test groups and were fed with normal feed plus graded levels of Yaji (B, 10%; C, 20%; D, 30%; E, 40%; F, 50%; G, 60%; and H, 70%). At the end of the respective experimental periods, test group rats were sacrificed in order to harvest the brain tissues for tissue processing. We observed that the stained brain tissue micrographs from test group F3 (6 weeks; 50%) presented features that were histologically similar to those of oligodendroglioma and the incidence appears to be high dosage/duration dependent. This result implicates the active principles in Yaji and suggests that at high doses, Yaji is capable of inducing brain tissue damage as well as tumour formation.