EFFECT OF RECOVERY PERIOD ON REPRODUCTIVE FUNCTIONS IN MALE WISTAR RATS TREATED WITH FRACTION 1 OF PORTULACA OLERACEA
Oyedeji K. O. , Oladosu I. A., Adegoke Olajire
ABSTRACT
Objective: To investigate the effect of recovery period on reproductive
profiles in male rats treated with fraction 1 of Portulaca oleracea.
Methods: Air-dried specimen of Portulaca oleracea was coldextracted
in methanol for 72 hours. The resulting methanol extract was
then subjected to open column chromatography on silica gel for
fractionation. Out of the 5 fractions obtained, fraction 1 was then
subjected to male rats’ reproductive bioassays. Twenty male rats (120-
150 g) were divided into control (distilled water) and fraction 1(1, 2, 3
mg/kg) treated groups (5 per group) for hormonal assay and
andrological studies. The animals were orally treated on daily basis for
50 days and allowed a recovery (withdrawal) period of 50 days after
which plasma testosterone level was assayed using Enzyme-Linked
Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) and semen analysis was done microscopically. Results:
There were significant (p<0.05) decrease in sperm motility of fraction 1(1 mg/kg, 2 mg/kg, 3
mg/kg) recovery groups relative to control. Also, there were significant (p<0.05) decrease in
sperm counts of fraction 1(1 mg/kg, 2 mg/kg) recovery groups relative to the control.
Conclusion: It can therefore be concluded that the deleterious effects induced by
chromatographic fraction 1 of Portulaca oleracea on the reproductive parameters in male rats
were probably irreversible.
Keywords: Fraction 1, Recovery, Sperm motility, Sperm counts, Rats.
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