Combined Methanolic Leaf Extracts of Vernonia amygdalina and Gongronema latifolium Improves Sperm Parameter Impairment and Testicular Damage in STZ Induced Diabetic Wistar Rats

The effects of  methanolic leaf extracts of Vernonia amygdalina (VA) and Gongronema latifolium (GL) on the histology and DNA of the testes, and the sperm parameters of streptozocin (STZ) induced diabetic rats were investigated in this study. 18 male albino rats which were divided into three groups of six rats each were used for this work: A (Normal control) and B (Diabetic control) received tap water, C received combined extract of VA and GL, (400mg/kg twice daily, 200mg/kg each extract). Groups B &C animals were induced for diabetes by intraperitoneal injection of 45mg/kg of Streptozocin, reconstituted in 0.1M sodium citrate buffer. Following sacrifice, the testes and semen were collected for histopathological studies and semen analysis respectively. The results revealed normal testes with prominent seminiferous tubules, containing germ cells at various stages of development and spermatozoa in group A. In group B, there were signs of degeneration in the seminiferous tubules (STs), destruction of germ cells, spermatozoa and Leydig cells. In group C, the testes showed normal STs with Sertoli cells, Leydig cells, germ cells and spermatozoa, suggestive of a possible regeneration. Feulgen’s reaction showed damage to the DNA of the testes in group B which was almost completely reversed in group C. Semen analysis revealed reduced sperm count, high percentage of abnormal forms and high percentage of spermatozoa with retarded motility in group B compared to group A. In group C, there was marked improvement in all the parameters. Keywords: Diabetes mellitus, sperm parameters, testicular damage, Vernonia amygdalina, Gongronema latifoliu

Morphometric Study Of The Teratogenic Effect Of Artesunate On The Central Nervous System Of The Wistar Rat Foetus

The teratogenic influence of maternal administration of artesunate on the morphometry of foetal nervous system was studied. Twenty virgin female Wistar rats weighing between 200g and 230g were used for this study. The animals were divided into 4 groups of 5 rats each. Each group was kept in a separate plastic cage. The rats were fed with commercial rat feed and tap water ad libitum throughout the experimental period. The females were caged overnight with sexually mature male rats of the same strain. The presence of sperm (tailed structures) in the vagina smears obtained the following morning confirmed coitus and the sperm positive day was designated as day zero of pregnancy. Oral doses of 0.2mg/kg, 0.4mg/kg and 0.8mg/kg body weight of artesunate were administered to pregnant rats in 3 of the groups respectively from the 7th to the 11th day of gestation. The fourth group of rats was used as the control which received 2.0ml/kg body weight of distilled water on the same days. Results show that the high dose group rats demonstrated significant (

A MORPHOMETRIC STUDY OF THE TERATOGENIC EFFECT OF ARTESUNATE ON THE CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM OF THE WISTAR RAT FOETUS.

The teratogenic influence of maternal administration of artesunate on the morphometry of foetal nervous system was studied. Twenty virgin female Wistar rats weighing between 200g and 230g were used for this study. The animals were divided into 4 groups of 5 rats each. Each group was kept in a separate plastic cage. The rats were fed with commercial rat feed and tap water ad libitum throughout the experimental period. The females were caged overnight with sexually mature male rats of the same strain. The presence of sperm (tailed structures) in the vagina smears obtained the following morning confirmed coitus and the sperm positive day was designated as day zero of pregnancy. Oral doses of 0.2mg/kg, 0.4mg/kg and 0.8mg/kg body weight of artesunate were administered to pregnant rats in 3 of the groups respectively from the 7th to the 11th day of gestation. The fourth group of rats was used as the control which received 2.0ml/kg body weight of distilled water on the same days. Results show that the high dose group rats demonstrated significant (p<0.05) reduction in all parameters measured when compared to the control and the group that received 0.2mg/kg of the drug. The foetal weight, crown-rump length, tail length and brain weight were significantly (p<0.05) lower than the corresponding values in the control group. The cerebral LAPD and MAPD of the group that received 0.8mg/kg of artesunate were significantly (p<0.05) lower than corresponding values of the control group. The cerebral TD of the rats that received 0.8mg/kg of the drug was similarly lower than that of the control. The cerebellar APD and TD of the animals that received 0.8mg/kg of the drug were significantly (p<0.05) lower than those of the control. The length and transverse diameter of the spinal cord were significantly (p< 0.05) lower in the animals that received 0.8mg/kg of the drug than in the control animals. Our results suggest that high does of artesunate may cause severe intrauterine growth retardation; and may be neurotoxic to the developing nervous system of Wistar rats