Microscopic examination of the larynx (voice box) of Swiss Mice exposed to N-Hexane fraction of Cannabis sativa leaf extract

Abstract

Cannabis sativa (Cannabaceae) is the most widely used illicit drug in the world and has been cultivated for centuries in different parts of the world for its psychoactive properties. However, despite the pharmacological potential and economic prospects, there is a dearth of information on the toxicity profile of Nigerian Cannabis as well as rarely reported cannabis-administered animal models. Therefore, this research examined the microscopic details of the larynx (voice box) of the n-hexane fraction of Cannabis sativa leaves (nHCS) in mice. Dried leaves (2000 g) were extracted with methanol using a Soxhlet apparatus, then partitioned into an n-hexane fraction (nHCS). Forty adult female mice (20- 25 g) were divided into four groups (n=10): Group 1 control (Vehicle (olive oil)-treated group, 10 µL/kg), and groups II-IV received nHCS (200, 400, and 800 mg/kg), orally for 28 days. The animals were then euthanized and sacrificed by cervical dislocation, and the larynx was dissected out and preserved in 10% formalin for histological assessment. The results showed normal histological architecture of the vocal fold epithelium in the control mice compared with epithelial microtrauma, ulceration, denudation, and degeneration in the treated groups. Cannabis sativa administration altered the configuration of the stratified squamous epithelial lining of the mice’s vocal fold.