Anti-androgenic Impact of Nauclea latifolia on Testicular Weight, Testosterone, Follicle Stimulating Hormone and Glycogen Granules of the Testes

Abstract

Purpose: Over time, plants have been a major source of medicine to treat and cure various ailments and diseases. In many cases, the dosages and standardization of these herbal products have been so ignored that it results in these products causing damages to certain organs of the body unnoticed. The impact of ethanolic leaf extract of Nauclea latifolia on the testes was determined using Wistar rats.
 Method: 500, 1000 and 1500 mg of ethanolic leaf extract of Nauclea latifolia /kg body weight was administered for 21 days to 4 groups of animals (n=10). Blood sample was taken for hormonal assay, testicular weight measured, and histological procedure done, and the tissues stained with PAS.
 Results: Result from hormonal assay showed reduced level of testosterone and follicle stimulating hormone. After histological staining using periodic acid Schiff method (PAS) and subsequent examination using a compound microscope, there was a reduced level of glycogen granules in all the Nauclea latifolia groups. Findings from this study also showed that the ethanolic leaf extract of Nauclea latifolia at all doses significantly reduced testicular weight (p<0.05).
 Conclusion: This study reveals that Nauclea latifolia is anti-androgenic.