Cassava peels which is available in large quantity as waste is being considered as a possible replacement for maize in chicken feeds due to the world shortage of cereals. This study examined the safety of collagen and reticulin fibres in the liver and kidney of broiler chicken, when the Aspergillus niger-hydrolyzed cassava peel meal (HCPM) was used as diet carbohydrate. HCPM was used as replacement for maize in chicken feeds at 0, 25, 50, 75, and 100%, respectively and were fed for 42 days. The animals were sacrificed and the liver and kidney were excised and fixed immediately in 10% formolsaline for 48 h. The tissues were processed for paraffin embedding. Sections were cut at 3 microns, dried for 30 min at 60°C and were stained using both Gordon & Sweet and Masson's Trichrome methods. The result showed the preservation of the reticulin and collagen fibres up to the 50% inclusion of HCPM as replacement for maize. The implication is that; the use of HCPM will make available for human consumption, half of the world maize cereals been consumed by the poultry birds.

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The use of extracts of medicinal plants for treatments or prevention of diseases is a common health practice in most African societies. Anacardiumoccidentale is by far the most important flowering plant of the anacardiaceae family with great ethnomedicinal importance to third world countries including Nigeria, Brazil, India and Philippines. Traditionally, extracts of Anacardiumocciden tale are used as anti-diabetic, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory and antihypertensive agents. Base on disparities in the toxicological reports on the plant, this research seeks to evaluate the possible histological effect of ethanolic stem bark extract of the plant on the kidneys which are major excretory organs of metabolic products. Fourteen newly waned rabbits were divided into four groups of three animals each. Group 1 is negative control. Extract administered to groups (II, III and IV) at 500, 1000 and 1500 mg/kg showed congested Glomerular Tufts devoid of urinary space. Hence, the cellular compartments are vulnerable to damage. Chronic toxicity studies are needed to further support the safety use of this plant for treatments.