World Journal of
Pharmaceutical and Life Sciences

ANTIFERTILITY AND HEPATIC EFFECTS OF HYMENOCARDIA ACIDA STEM-BARK EXTRACT AND FRACTIONS IN MALE WISTAR RATS

Wamanyi Naphtali Wanaunda*, Ambrose Teru Patrick, Abdullahi Usman Wurochekke

ABSTRACT

Medicinal plants remain an important source of leads for the regulation of male fertility. This study evaluated the antifertility and hepatic effects of the methanol stem-bark extract (ME) and its aqueous (AF), hexane (HF) and dichloromethane (DCF) fractions of Hymenocardia acida in male Wistar rats. Phytochemical screening was performed on the methanol extract, acute toxicity (LD??) was assessed over 1000–5000 mg/kg, and rats (n = 5 per group) were treated orally at 150, 300 and 450 mg/kg for 28 days before serum liver enzymes, reproductive hormones and epididymal sperm parameters were compared with a normal-diet control. Phytochemical analysis revealed phenols (12.47 ± 0.67%), tannins (7.10 ± 0.67%), saponins (3.28 ± 0.67%) and alkaloids (3.01 ± 0.33%) as the most abundant constituents. No mortality occurred up to 5000 mg/kg. All treatments significantly (p < 0.05) reduced epididymal sperm count (from 6.44 ± 0.74 to as low as 1.38 ± 0.37 ×10?/mL), viability and progressive motility, and disrupted the reproductive hormones (reduced testosterone and luteinising hormone; elevated follicle-stimulating hormone and estrogen). Serum AST, ALT and ALP were significantly elevated, indicating dose-dependent hepatic stress. In conclusion, the stem-bark extract and fractions of H. acida exert a potent antifertility effect in male rats through disruption of the hormonal control of spermatogenesis, but with evidence of hepatotoxicity that must be weighed in any contraceptive application.

[Full Text Article]   [Download Certificate]