Alcohol related health challenges have lingered over the years. Such associated with locally brewed alcoholic beverages have received little attention. The urgency to explore this becomes imperative. This study aimed at evaluating the effect of regular consumption of local alcoholic beverages on the estrous cycle and histological image of the ovaries and uterus thus fertility of female albino rats. Thirty screened female albino rats weighing 180-220g were divided into five groups and daily administered each with 10ml/kg of pito, burukutu, ogogoro, goskolo and 0.5ml/kg normal saline respectively for 21 days. Effect of the beverages on the estrous cycle as well as histopathological evaluation was carried out on the isolated ovaries and uterus. Results showed significant increase proestrous phase of the estrous cycle with ingestion of pito, burukutu, ogogorogo and goskolo. Also the histology of the ovary was basically without obvious pathological changes with pito, while there was alteration of histological parameters by burukutu, marked with formation of fibrosis, corpus luteum cyst resulting immature ovarian follicle, ogogoro marked with formation of fibrosis, corpus luteum cyst resulting immature ovarian follicle and goskolo marked with formation of multiple follicular cyst resulting in complete collapse of the ovarian section. The effect of traditional alcoholic beverages revealed the classical effects of alcoholic drinks by way of significant alteration in the estrous cycle of albino rats with marked alteration of the histological architecture of ovarian tissues. Pito, burukutu, ogogoro, and goskolo have a reprotoxic effect on the ovaries and uterus thus a deleterious effect on fertility of female albino rats.

Locally brewed alcoholic beverages have become part of the socio-economic life of the Nigerian and West African communities. The negative effect of the use of the beverages on both health, economic and social life is worth exploring amidst the increasing challenges of poverty, inadequate health facilities, lack of basic social amenities amongst many others. This study aimed at evaluating the effect of some selected locally brewed Nigerian alcoholic beverage on the hormonal profile of male and female albino rats. A total of 60 screened rats (spaque Dawley strain) of body weight 180-200g and comprising 30 males and females each were randomly divided into five groups of six animals of same sex per cage and administered with various doses of local alcoholic beverages - goskolo, burukutu, pito and ogogoro per oral for a period of 21 days. Serum hormonal assays were carried out with the use of the respective EIA Kit, ELISA microwells and microplate immunoassay. Results revealed significant decrease (p < 0.05) in the sex hormones (estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone) in all the male treated with these alcoholic beverages, while LH and FSH were not significantly affected. The toxicological evaluation of traditional alcoholic beverages pito, burukutu, ogogorogo and goskolo revealed significant decrease in the sex hormonal profile of male and female albino rats. This buttressed the toxicological effect by way of decrease in the activity of the sex hormones necessary for fertility and reproduction the rats.

Challenges associated with habitual intake of alcohol including health, social, psychological and especially reproductive health needs urgent attention. This study aimed to determine the spermatotoxic effect of selected traditional alcoholic beverages in rats. A total of 30 normal male Spaque dawley strain albino rats weighing 180-220g, divided into 5 groups of 6 rats in each were administered with 10ml/kg p.o each of pito, goskolo and ogogoro, goskolo respectively and 0.5ml/kg normal saline for a period of 21 days. Sperm samples were harvested from the left caudal portion epididymis assayed for sperm motility, sperm morphology and sperm count after which histological examination was carried out on the testes. Results showed that active, sluggish and dead sperm cells were goskolo>pito>burukutu>control>ogogoro, ogogoro> burukutu> control>goskolo>pito and control>pito>ogogoro>burukutu>goskolo respectively. For morphology of sperm cells, it was goskolo>ogogoro>burukutu>control>pito (normal) and pito>control>burukutu> ogogoro> goskolo (abnormal). Also, that of sperm count was goskolo>ogogoro>pito>burukutu>control. Results further showed that ogogoro and goskolo caused significant negative effects on quantity and quality of sperm cells with alteration of histological parameters marked with altered secondary spermatogonia and spermatid. These effects were however mild with pito and burukutu. Traditional alcoholic beverages from North central Nigeria ‘pito’, 'burukutu', 'ogogoro', and goskolo' have negative on the quantity and quality of sperm cells with marked with infraction of spermatogonia of male albino rats. As a result of the spermatotoxic properties of these locally available and often ingested drinks by males predominantly in the reproductive age brackets will do well to avoid and or minimize its use as it leads to reprotoxicity.