African Journal of Biotechnology Vol. 6 (10), pp. 1236-1238, 16 May 2007   

ISSN 1684–5315 © 2007 Academic Journals        

Short Communication

Effects of crude ethanolic extract of Garcinia cambogia on the reproductive system of male wistar rats (Rattus novergicus)

Oluyemi Kayode A.¹*, Jimoh Olusegun R.², Adesanya Olamide A.¹ Omotuyi Idowu O.³, Josiah Sunday J.³ and Oyesola Tolulope O.⁴.

¹Department of Anatomy, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Igbinedion University, Okada. P.M.B 0006, Benin City. Nigeria.

²Department of Anatomy, College of Health Sciences, University of Ilorin, P.M.B. 1515, Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria.

³Department of Biochemistry, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Igbinedion University, Okada. P.M.B 0006, Benin City. Nigeria.

⁴Department of Physiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Igbinedion University, Okada. P.M.B 0006, Benin City. Nigeria.

*Corresponding author. E-mail: Kayodedanatomist@yahoo.com.  Tel: +2348059860788.

Accepted 27 December, 2006

15 male rats were grouped and administered crude ethanolic extracts of Garcinia cambogia seeds to test the effects on the histology of the testis and sperm counts. Group A served as the control while Groups B and C received 100 and 200 mg/kg body weight of extracts, respectively. The administration was done orally once a day, six days a week for six weeks. The routine histological preparation at the end of administration revealed increase in the interstitial spaces, degeneration of the Ledgid cells and distortion in the arrangement of the cells of spermatogenic series. The sperm counts revealed a significant increase in the experimental groups when compared statistically with the control (p<0.05). It was 81.5 ± 13.62 ´ 10⁶/ml and 70 ± 12.98 ´ 10⁶/ml in groups Band C, respectively, as compared to 59.8 ± 2.14 ´ 10⁶/ml in the Control group.

Key words: Garcinia cambogia, sperm count, histology, Leydig cells, interstitial spaces.