Modulatory Effects of Telfairia occidentalis Ethanolic Leaf Extract on Monosodium Glutamate–Induced Multi-Organ Toxicity in Experimental Rats

Abstract

Background: Monosodium glutamate (MSG) is a commonly used flavour enhancer associated experimentally with oxidative stress and organ injury at high doses. This study evaluated the modulatory effects of an ethanolic leaf extract of Telfairia occidentalis on MSG-induced biochemical, oxidative, and histological alterations in selected organs of Wistar rats. Methods: Adult male Wistar rats were allocated into control, MSG-treated (200 mg/kg), extract-only (500 mg/kg), and four extract-intervention groups exposed orally for 28 days. The intervention regimens evaluated pre-/co-treatment (500 mg/kg extract), co-administration (500 mg/kg extract), or post-treatment at low (100 mg/kg) or high (500 mg/kg) extract doses against MSG. Serum indices of hepatic and renal function, oxidative stress markers, and histological sections of the liver, kidneys, and spleen were assessed. Results: MSG administration significantly elevated serum liver enzymes (ALT, AST, ALP), renal biomarkers (urea, creatinine), malondialdehyde, and superoxide dismutase activity compared with controls. Histological evaluation revealed hepatocellular degeneration, sinusoidal congestion, renal tubular injury, glomerular congestion, splenic haemorrhage, and lymphoid disruption in MSG-treated rats. Administration of Telfairia occidentalis extract reduced the severity of these biochemical disturbances and improved tissue architecture across the treated groups. However, residual hepatic, renal, and splenic lesions persisted, including mild congestion, fatty change, and focal haemorrhage, regardless of the intervention regimen. Conclusion: The findings indicate that Telfairia occidentalis ethanolic leaf extract attenuated, but did not completely reverse, MSG-induced multi-organ toxicity under the tested pre-, co-, and post-treatment regimens. Further studies are required to clarify long-term dose-response relationships and the duration required for full structural recovery.