Citrus aurantifolia (Lime) juice extract reverses poly cystic ovary in Cadmium chloride exposed sprague dawley rats

Cadmium (Cd) is a unique metal among the heavy metals due to its diverse toxic effects, extremely protracted biological half-life, low rate of excretion from the body, and predominant storage in soft tissues. The study was aimed at evaluating the curative potentials of Citrus aurantifolia (Lime) juice extract on cadmium chloride induced ovary tissue toxicity. Female Sprague Dawley adults were grouped into six (n=5), Group A-Group F. All the groups were subjected to 48 hours fasting. Group B, group C, group D and group F were induced with double dose of 0.5 mg/kg body weight of Cadmium chloride (CdCl 2 ) orally using oral gastric tube. Group A and group E were exposed to 0.5 ml/kg of physiological saline. The rats were allowed access to food and water post 24 hours of drug administration. Group B, C, D and group E were further subjected to treatment with lime juice twice daily for 6 weeks post 72 hours of exposure to cadmium chloride while Group F was left untreated. Group B was treated with 1 ml/100 kg weight of fresh Citrus aurantifolia (Lime) juice ; group C received 1.5 ml/100 kg of fresh lime juice while group D and Group E received 2 ml/100 kg of fresh lime juice respectively twice a day for six weeks. Photomicrograph shows abnormal ovary epithelium with spindle to round cells scattered in a collagenous background and failure of oocyte development. Cadmium chloride induces surface epithelium disorder and failure of oocyte development as well as cystic follicles while treatment with the Citrus aurantifolia (Lime) juice reverses the disorder in a dose dependent pattern.