Histopathological Alterations and DNA Content Changes in Brain, Liver, and Kidney Tissues Induced by Tomtom Candy-Lacasera Drink Mixture in Wistar Rats
Iranian Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences,
Vol. 22 No. 1 (2026),
26 January 2026
,
Page 353-361
https://doi.org/10.22037/ijps.v22i1.49498
Abstract
This study investigated the potential histological effects of a mixture of Tomtom candy and Lacasera drink (LTT) and its individual components on brain, liver, and kidney tissues of Wistar rats. Four groups of rats (n=4 per group) were used: a control group (Group A) received distilled water; Group B received LTT; Group C received Lacasera drink (LC); and Group D received Tomtom candy in water (TTW). The treatments were administered orally for 28 days. Results revealed that all treatment groups showed histological alterations in the brain, liver, and kidney. The most pronounced effects were observed in the TTW group (Group D), which showed moderate axon clumping and dendrite loss in the brain, suggesting significant neuronal impairment. In the liver, all treatment groups exhibited some degree of hepatic necrosis (HN). The kidney tissue of the TTW group (Group D) showed tubular adhesion (TA) and slight tubular necrosis (TN), indicating the most severe renal damage among the groups. The LTT mixture (Group B) also induced notable effects, including moderate Kupffer cell hyperplasia (KH) in the liver and slight glomerular and tubular necrosis in the kidneys. Feulgen staining of brain tissue showed a paradoxical increase in DNA content in the TTW group, despite the structural abnormalities. This may indicate a cellular stress response, such as DNA repair mechanisms or the proliferation of support cells, to counter the toxic insult. The findings suggest that both the LTT mixture and its individual components can induce histological alterations in the vital organs of Wistar rats. The TTW mixture appeared to cause more pronounced effects in the brain and kidneys than the LTT or LC drink alone. Further studies with larger sample sizes and long-term exposure are needed to fully elucidate the underlying mechanisms and potential long-term consequences of these effects.
- Wistar rats
- Histopathology
- Neurotoxicity
- Hepatotoxicity
- Nephrotoxicity
How to Cite
References
1. Anyanwu CF, Georgewill UO, Onuama VI, Phil-Ashirib NU. Potential Reproductive Toxicity Of Lacatomtom Drink In Male Wistar Rats. Tropical Journal of Natural Product Research (2024); 8(6): 7542-7546.
2. Olumorin OI, Emmanuel FT, Mohammed N, Emmanuel JO. Effect of Lacatomtom Drink on Spatial Memory in Male Wistar Rat. Tropical Journal of Phytochemistry & Pharmaceutical Sciences (2025); 4(3): 123-125.
3. Emmanuel FT, Gyebi GA, Samuel AE, Isaac EP, Gideon A, Micheal PN, Yahaya J, Oka S, Adams O, Obaje G. Chemical Profiling, In-Silico Investigation and In Vivo Toxicity Assessment of Lacatomtom (A Psychoactive Mixture) on Selected Indices in Albino Wistar Rats. Current Chemical Biology (2024); 18: 215-237.
4. Baumann MH, Partilla JS, Lehner KR. Psychoactive "bath salts": Compounds, mechanisms, and toxicity. Molecular Neurobiology (2014); 49(2): 574–588.
5. Emmanuel FT, Akor SE, Momoh S, Owemidu IO, Akor SE. Investigation of the Hepatotoxicity of Lacatomtom Drink in Albino Rat. Nigerian Journal of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (2022); 37(1): 26-31.
6. Ashidi JS, Emeya IE, Owagboriaye FO, Feyisola RT, Lawal OI, Okechukwu OC. Neurological Behaviour of Albino Rats Treated Separately and in Combination with Cannabis Sativa L. and Cannabis Indica L. Scientia Africana (2021); 20(2): 37-50. DOI: 10.4314/sa.v20i2.4.
7. Friday ET, Marietu B, Tijani KB, Dare OO, Alfa AA. Cytotoxicity Assessments of "Lacatomtom" Drink on Albino Rat and its Effect on Lactate Dehydrogenase (LDH). Development Journal of Science and Technology Research (DJOSTER) (2020); 9(1): 115-129.
8. Skou JC. Nobel Lecture: The identification of the sodium pump. Bioscience Reports (1998); 18(4): 155-170.
9. Liu Y, Xu Z, Yang G, Li L. Neuroinflammation and oxidative stress in neurodegenerative diseases. Neurochemical Research (2017); 42(4): 1130-1141.
10. Pacher P, Beckman JS, Liaudet L. Nitric oxide and peroxynitrite in health and disease. Physiological Reviews (2007); 87(1): 315-424.
11. Xu Y, Dai Z, Chen F, Gao S, Pei J, Lai L. Deep learning for drug-induced liver injury. Journal of Chemical Information and Modeling (2015); 55(10): 2085-2093.
12. Paulin, S., & Palaniappan, R. (2023). Brain-kidney cross-talk: Mechanisms and clinical implications. Journal of Nephrology and Neuroscience, 15(3), 123-135.
13. Blusztajn JK, Wurtman RJ. Choline and cholinergic neurons. Science (1983); 221(4611): 614–620.
14. Colović MB, Krstić DZ, Lazarević-Pašti TD, Bondžić AM, Vasić VM. Acetylcholinesterase inhibitors. Molecules (2013); 18(9): 9375-9390.
15. Bortolato M, Pivac N, Seler DM, et al. The role of monoamine oxidase in neuropsychiatric disorders. Current Topics in Medicinal Chemistry (2010); 10(2): 207–220.
16. Rahman A, Kruck TP, McLachlan DR. AChE as a potential biomarker for neurodegenerative diseases. Journal of Neurochemistry (2020); 154(4): 377-390.
17. Berke JD. What does dopamine mean? Nature Neuroscience (2018); 21(6): 787–793.
18. National Research Council. Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals. (2011). 8th ed. The National Academies Press.
19. Sheehan D, Hrapchak B. Theory and practice of histotechnology. (1980). 2nd ed. Battelle Press.
20. Pearse AGE. Histochemistry: Theoretical and Applied. (1968, 1972). 3rd ed. Churchill Livingstone.
21. Crookham J, Dapson R. Hazardous Chemicals in the Histopathology Laboratory. (1991). 2nd ed. Anatech.
- Abstract Viewed: 23 times
- IJPS_Volume22_Issue1_Pages353-361 Downloaded: 22 times