ABSTARCT

The protective role of ethanolic extract of unripe pulp of  Carica papaya (fruit), against potassium-bromate induced tissue damage in wistar rats was investigated. The animals were grouped into four groups (A, B, C, D) of five rats. Group A was administered 1  mL of 0.25 M sucrose solution. 60 mg/kg of Potassium bromate KBrO3 was administered orally to rats in groups B,  C and D. Groups C and D were pretreated with 250 and 500 mg/kg of the extracts for fourteen (14) days, re spectively. The organ to body-weight ratio, total amino acid, total protein and malondialdeyde (MDA) concentration in the brain, spleen, kidney, liver, and heart were colorimetrically measured as an assessment of the leve l of tissue damage. All the parameters studied increases significantly in all the tissues of rats group B. There  was significant decrease in the organ-to-body weight ratio and total protein level in all the tissues investigated  (p<0.05), when compared with Group B at both doses of the extract. The total protein level of the stomach had  a drastic reduction at 500 mg/kg.  Also, the Amino acid level of investigated tissues decreased significantly, while malondialdeyde levels decreased significantly in a dose dependent manner. These findings suggest that ethanolic extract of unripe pulp of  Carica papaya  may be protective against KBrO3 induced tissue damage in Wistar rats.