Abstract

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.