+44 1625708989Influence on some female fertility hormonal response in wistar albino rats: Possible contraceptive role for methanol leaf extract of Ocimum gratissimum ?
Author(s): *Egba Simeon I., Omodamiro Olorunsola D., Obike Joy C. and Ali Ezinne S.Ocimum gratissimum is a well-known medicinal plant. Folklore claims its use in management of headache, fever, diarrhea, pneumonia etc. Results of several research works support most of the claims. There is however scanty information on its effect on female fertility hormones production. This study was therefore designed to investigate the effect of its methanol extract on some fertility hormones in female albino rats. The animals were divided into three groups 1,2 and 3 representing those that received higher dose, lower dose of the extract and feed only which served as control. The extract was administered orally for 21 days at the end of which the animals were sacrificed and blood collected for the assay. The serum level of prolactin, progesterone, luteinizing hormone, estradiol, follicle stimulating hormone and testosterone were determined using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) technique. Data from the study were analyzed using ANOVA at 95% confidence level. Results showed that administration of methanol extract of Ocimum gratissimum caused non-significant (P > 0.05) difference in estradiol concentration in group1(1.84± 0.16) and a non-significant (P > 0.05) increase in group 2 (2.06±0.24) compared to the control(1.74±0.05).The result also showed a dose dependent significant (P <0.05) decrease in serum testosterone level in the test groups (34.29±3.32) (30.46±0.50) compared to the control (35.18±2.31). Level of follicle stimulating hormone decreased non-significantly (P > 0.05) (9.25±0.93), (10.22±2.31) compared to the control(11.83±2.14). Equally a non-significant decrease was seen in the level of luteinizing hormone in both test groups (9.11± 0.94) (8.64±0.72) compared to the control group (9.68± 1.26). Non-significant increases were also observed in prolactin (7.69± 1.17), (7.42± 3.64) and progesterone (7.66± 0.96), (7.19±0.96) levels in the test groups compared to the control control group (6.64±2.33) (6.91± 0.60).The findings in this study have important implications for female contraceptive development.
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