Authors : F.O. Awobajo, I.I. Olatunji-Bello and L.I. Ogbewey
Abstract: The reproductive impact of oral administration of aqueous leaf extract of Magnifera indica at a dose of 500 mg kg-1 was investigated. The first sets of non-gravid rats were used to study hormonal and estrous cycling pattern after extract for 4 weeks. Estrous cycle was monitored by vagina smear technique, weekly weight recorded and serum collected at the end of treatment period. The second set of gravid rats treated with the extract throughout the pregnancy period was used for the pregnancy study. Weekly weights were recorded while numbers of viable foetus and resorption sites were counted on gestational day 19 after laparotomy. In group that carried their pregnancy to term, number and weight of litter delivered were recorded. Both gravid and non-gravid rats treated with the extract experienced significant reduction in weight gained while there was also disruption of estrous cycling. Serum FSH level and litter birth weights were also significantly reduced. There was no effect on the number of viable foetus and duration of pregnancy. These results revealed that the aqueous extract of Magnifera indica disrupted oestrous cycling in female rat. The extract also interfered with weight gain with resultant reduction litter birth weight. It also produced a reduction in the FSH while increasing the estradiol level in non-pregnant rats. However, it has no significant effect on duration of pregnancy.
F.O. Awobajo, I.I. Olatunji-Bello and L.I. Ogbewey, 2013. Reproductive Impact of Aqueous Leaf Extract of Magnifera indica (Mango) Leaves on Some Reproductive Functions in Female Sprague-Dawley Rats. International Journal of Tropical Medicine, 8: 44-48.