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Spermatozoa morphology and
characteristics of male wistar rats administered with
ethanolic extract of Lagenaria Breviflora Roberts
Adebowale Bernard Saba1*, Olayinka Ayotunde
Oridupa1, Matthew Olugbenga Oyeyemi 2
and Oluwaseun Dapo Osanyigbe1
1Department
of Veterinary Physiology, Biochemistry and Pharmacology,
University of Ibadan, Nigeria.
2Department
of Veterinary Surgery and Reproduction, University of
Ibadan, Nigeria.
*Corresponding author. E-mail:
ab.saba@mail.ui.edu.ng.
Tel.: +234 805 413 8127.
Accepted
17 July, 2008 |
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This study was aimed at determining the effects of the
ethanolic extract of the whole fruit of Lagenaria
breviflora Robert on male fertility by evaluating some
andrological parameters of the Wistar rat such as morphology
of spermatozoa, sperm count, motility, liveability and
volume of the semen. Histopathology of the testis was
carried out. 20 adult male Wistar rats were randomly divided
into 5 groups. The rats in group A (Control) were
administered with 0.9% physiological saline, while rats in
groups B, C, D, and E were administered with the extract of
1000, 2000, 4000 and 8000 mg per Kg body weight,
respectively, once daily for 14 days. The extract caused
morphological alterations of sperm cells in this study,
predominantly of secondary abnormality. These include bent
mid-piece, curved mid-piece, bent tail, curved tail, normal
tail without head, normal head without tail, looped tail,
and coiled tail, which are indications of interference with
maturation stage of spermatogenesis in the seminiferous
tubules. The deleterious effect of the extract on the
seminiferous tubules is corroborated by histopathology,
which revealed degeneration of epithelium of the
seminiferous tubules. The degree of sperm cell motility was
significantly lowered in animals administered with the
extract compared to animals in the control group. However,
the lifeability of the spermatozoa was not affected by the
extract but it altered the structure of sperm cells
produced. Consequently, the sperm count was lowered
(P<0.05) in the animals administered with the fruit extract
in comparison with animals in the control group, as a result
of decline in the production of normal, viable sperm cells
in the test animals. There was no significant (P>0.05)
difference in the mean values of semen volume of rats in the
control and test groups. It was concluded that extract of
L. breviflora exerts toxic effect on the seminiferous
tubular epithelium with concomitant reduction in the
reproductive potential of the male rats. Herbal preparation
of L. breviflora Robert should therefore be used
cautiously in both man and animal. The potential of the
plant as an anti-fertility drug in man can be carefully
explored.
Key
words: Lagenaria breviflora, testis, morphology, spermatozoa, fertility, rat. |
