Effects of oral administration of aqueous extract of Fadogia agrestis (Schweinf. Ex Hiern) stem on some testicular function indices of male rats.
OBJECTIVE
The effects of administration of aqueous extract of Fadogia agrestis (Schweinf. Ex Hiern) stem on some testicular function indices of male rats (Rattus norvegicus) and their recovery potentials for 10 days were investigated.


METHODS
Rats were grouped into four: A, B, C and D where A (the control) received orally 1 ml of distilled water (the vehicle), B, C and D (the test groups) received orally on daily basis graded doses of 18, 50 and 100mg/kg body weight of the plant extract, respectively, for 28 days.


RESULTS
Compared with the control, extract administration for 28 days at all the doses resulted in significant increase (P<0.05) in percentage testes-body weight ratio, testicular cholesterol, sialic acid, glycogen, acid phosphatase and gamma-glutamyl transferase activities while there was significant decrease (P<0.05) in the activities of testicular alkaline phosphatase, acid phosphatase, glutamate dehydrogenase and concentrations of protein. Recoveries were made by the animals on some of the testicular function indices mainly at 18 mg/kg body weight.


CONCLUSIONS
The alterations brought about by the aqueous extract of Fadogia agrestis stem are indications of adverse effects on the male rat testicular function and this may adversely affect the functional capacities of the testes. The recovery made at the dose of 18 mg/kg body weight as used in folklore medicine suggests that it does not exhibit permanent toxicity at this dose.
Yakubu
Musa Toyin
MT
Medicinal Plants Research Laboratory, Department of Biochemistry, University of Ilorin, P.M.B. 1515 Ilorin, Nigeria. tomuyak@yahoo.com
Akanji
Musbau Adewumi
MA
Oladiji
Adenike Temidayo
AT
D000135:Acid Phosphatase / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D000284:Administration, Oral; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000378:metabolism; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005969:Glutamate Dehydrogenase / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D006003:Glycogen / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D019158:N-Acetylneuraminic Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D009549:Nigeria; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000633:toxicity*; D011506:Proteins / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D019666:Rubiaceae / Q000737:chemistry*; D013737:Testis / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D005723:gamma-Glutamyltransferase / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism
D010936:Plant Extracts; D011506:Proteins; D006003:Glycogen; D002784:Cholesterol; D005969:Glutamate Dehydrogenase; D005723:gamma-Glutamyltransferase; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase; D000135:Acid Phosphatase; D019158:N-Acetylneuraminic Acid