ABSTRACT
Azadirachta indica is a tree whose medicinal value is unquantifiable. Any part of the tree can be used in the treatment of malarial infection. Reports have indicated its antifertility effects, and this necessitated this study on the effects of the methanol leaf extract on serum luteinizing (LH) and follicle stimulating hormones (FSH) levels and the histomorphology of the pars anterior of Wistar rats. Thirty adult male Wistar rats were equally divided into 3 groups of A, B and C. Group A was the control and the animals received distilled water orally, while groups B and C were treated with 200mg/kg and 400mg/kg respectively of the leaf extract by oral gavage for fourteen days. On day fifteen, the animals were sacrificed by chloroform anaesthesia. Blood was obtained from their hearts, while the skull was opened to assess the hypophysis. Hormonal assay showed that luteinizing (LH) and follicle stimulating (FSH) hormone levels in the serum were lower in groups B and C treated with 200mg/kg and 400mg/kg respectively of the leaf extract, while that of LH were significant (P<0.001). Histomorphologic sections of the pars anterior revealed reduced acidophil and basophil populations, with prominent degranulated chromophobes which were larger in the group treated with 400mg/kg of A. indica leaf extract. This group also presented hypertrophy of the basophils compared to the control. In conclusion, methanol leaf extract of A. indica decreases serum LH and FSH and caused histomorphologic changes in the pars anterior of adult male Wistar rats.
Azadirachta indica es un árbol cuyo valor medicinal es invaluable. Cualquier parte del árbol se puede utilizar en el tratamiento de la infección por malaria. Reportes han indicado su efecto antifertilidad, lo que requirió estudiar los efectos del extracto metanólico de la hoja sobre los niveles séricos de las hormonas luteinizante (LH) y folículo estimulante (FSH) y la histomorfología de la pars anterior de ratas Wistar. Treinta ratas Wistar adultas fueron divididas en tres grupos. El grupo A fue utilizado como control y los animales recibieron agua destilada por vía oral, mientras que los grupos B y C fueron tratados con 200 mg/kg y 400 mg/kg respectivamente, con extracto de hoja mediante una sonda nasogástrica durante catorce días. A los quince días, los animales fueron sacrificados por anestesia con cloroformo. Se obtuvo sangre desde sus corazones, mientras que el cráneo fue abierto para evaluar la hipófisis. Los ensayos hormonales mostraron que los niveles en suero de la LH y FSH se redujeron en los grupos B y C, tratados con 200 mg/kg y 400 mg/kg respectivamente, siendo la reducción de LH significativa (p<0,001). Secciones histomorfológicos de la pars anterior revelaron una reducción de las poblaciones acidófilas y basófilas, con prominentes cromófobos degranulados que fueron mayores en el grupo tratado con 400 mg/kg del extracto de A. indica. Este grupo también presentó hipertrofia de los basófilos en comparación con el control. En conclusión, el extracto alcohólico de la hoja de de A. indica disminuye el nivel sérico de LH y FSH y provoca cambios histomorfológicos en la pars anterior de ratas Wistar adultas.
Subject(s)
Animals , Male , Rats , Pituitary Gland, Anterior/drug effects , Plant Extracts/pharmacology , Azadirachta , Luteinizing Hormone/drug effects , Luteinizing Hormone/blood , Rats, Wistar , Plant Leaves , Follicle Stimulating Hormone/bloodABSTRACT
The study evaluated the effect of combined extracts of Vernonia amygdalina (VA) and Gongronema latifolium (GL) on the pancreas of streptozotocin (STZ) induced diabetic Wistar rats. Thirty-two (32) albino rats were divided equally into 4 groups. Groups A and B which served as normal (NC) and diabetic (DC) controls respectively, received placebo treatment. The diabetic test groups C and D were respectively treated with combined extracts of VA and GL (200mg/kg b. w., p. o.) and insulin, (humulin 5 IU/kg, s.c.) for 28 days. Thereafter, the animals were sacrificed and blood and pancreas were collected for serum glucose and histological evaluation, respectively. Changes in animal weight were also measured within the period. From the results it was revealed that both the combined extracts and humulin significantly increased the animals’ body weight (p<0.05) from -10.5% reduction in the DC, to 7.6% and 8.9% respectively. In the same order, serum glucose significantly decreased (p<0.05) by 12.49% and 14.96% after the 28-day treatment compared to DC. The extent of reversal of hyperglycemia in the extract treated animals compared well with the insulin treated group. The biochemical results were corroborated with results of histological evaluations: The pancreatic β-cells of DC animals which were distorted and degenerated with shrunken cell mass as against prominent islet cells with normal exocrine pancreas of NC animals became rapidly proliferated upon intervention with the combined extracts, suggesting a possible regeneration of the islet cells. On the otherhand, intervention with humulin did not produce observable differences in the cyto-architecture of the pancreatic islets compared to the diabetic control, confirming an extra-pancreatic mechanism of insulin.