Effect of Ethanol Extract of Leaves of <i>Chrysophyllum albidum</i> on the Reproductive Hormones of Lead-Exposed Female Wistar Albino Rats

Abstract

This study investigated the ameliorative effect of the ethanol extract of leaves of Chrysophyllum albidum on the ovaries and reproductive hormones of lead-exposed female Wistar albino rats. Lead has no physiological role in the body but exerts many deleterious effects on various organs and systems in humans including the reproductive system; this it achieves mainly by the production of free radicals leading to oxidative stress. A total number of forty-two rats (160-180g) were divided into seven groups; group 1 served as the normal control group, group 2 rats were administered 200mgkg^-1 of lead and left untreated (negative control group) while groups 3,4,5,6 and 7 were administered lead (200mgkg^-1) and 250, 500, 750, 1000 and 1250mgkg^-1 body weight of the ethanol extract of the studied plant respectively. All groups received feed and water ad libitum for 30days. A significant (p≤0.05) increase was observed in FSH, LH, estrogen and progesterone levels in C. albidum treated groups compared to the negative control group. The histology of the negative control group showed the presence of cysts with no ovarian follicle whereas treated groups showed normal histology of the ovaries with oocytes except for groups 6 and 7.This ameliorative ability of C. albidum observed in the present study may be attributed to its high antioxidant properties. Further studies on C. albidum could lead to the development of new and highly affordable drugs for the treatment of female infertility.

Keywords: Chrysophyllum albidum; reproductive hormones; follicle stimulating hormone; progesterone