Liver Histopathology of Trypanosoma-Infected Albino Rats when Treated with Zingiber Officinale and Curcuma Longa

Abstract

This study evaluated the hepatoprotective effects of Zingiber officinale and Curcuma longa on liver histopathology in Trypanosoma brucei brucei-infected albino rats. A total of 25 rats were randomly assigned into five groups: uninfected control, infected untreated control, and three infected groups treated with ginger, turmeric, and a combination of both, respectively. Following infection and treatment, liver tissues were harvested, processed, and examined histologically using standard staining procedures. Data were analyzed qualitatively based on microscopic observations. Histopathological findings revealed normal hepatic architecture in the uninfected control group, while the infected untreated group showed severe vascular congestion, hepatocellular degeneration, and inflammatory infiltration. The ginger-treated group exhibited persistent pathological changes similar to the untreated group, indicating limited hepatoprotective effect. In contrast, the turmeric-treated group showed marked restoration of hepatic architecture with minimal inflammation, suggesting significant hepatoprotective and anti-inflammatory activity. The combined treatment group demonstrated moderate improvement but did not achieve the level of recovery observed with turmeric alone. These findings indicate that Curcuma longa possesses superior hepatoprotective potential against trypanosome-induced liver damage compared to Zingiber officinale.