ABSTRACT

The present study was conducted in Ekpoma, headquarters of Esan West Local Government area of Edo state. The aim of the study was to determine the effect of marijuana on the heart of wistar rats.  The study involved twenty four growing wistar rats having weights between 250g-275g divided into 4 groups; control and groups 1-3, comprising of 6 rats each. The control group received only grower’s mash and distilled water while groups 1, 2 and 3 received 0.02mg/kg body weight, 0.04mg/kg body weight and 0.06mg/kg body weight doses of marijuana respectively. The histological examination showed that oral administration of graded doses of marijuana over a period of 3 weeks presented no damages to the control group. Group 1 fed with 0.02mg showed normal brain cytoarchitecture and that of Group 2 fed with 0.04mg showed nothing of pathological significance while the last Group 3, fed with 0.06mg of the substance showed mild fibrosis, nuclear eosinophilia and chromatolysis indicative of neurotoxicity. Consequent upon the findings of this study, it was concluded that marijuana induces alterations and disruptions in the normal histological architecture of the brain of wistar rats (in high doses) and these disruptions could lead to increased risk of cerebro-spinal injury and damage to the rats.