ABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>The leaves of Parquetina nigrescens have been claimed in folk medicine to be useful for managing sexual dysfunction, but there is inadequate scientific evidence for this claim. This investigation was conducted to assess the effects of aqueous leaf extract of Parquetina nigrescens (AEPN) in rats induced with sexual dysfunction.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Male rats were allocated into various groups after being induced into sexual dysfunction with paroxetine hydrochloride. The groups were treated with distilled water, PowMaxM (reference drug), and the AEPN at 20, 40 and 80 mg/kg body weight (BW) respectively for 7 d. Frequencies of mount (MF), intromission (IF), ejaculation (EF), as well as latencies of mount (ML), intromission (IL) and post-ejaculatory interval (PEI) were progressively monitored with receptive female rats on days 1, 3 and 7. The precentage of mounted, intromitted, and ejaculated rats, intromission ratio (IR), copulatory efficiency (CE) and intercopulatory interval (ICI) were also computed. Standard methods were employed to determine the levels of serum luteinizing and follicle stimulating hormones (LH and FSH), testosterone, nitric oxide (NO) and the activity of phosphodiesterase V (PDE5).</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The plant contained alkaloids, saponins, flavonoids, cardiac glycosides, steroids, tannins, phlobatannins, cardenolides, phenolics, anthraquinones and triterpenes with alkaloids (2.32 mg/g) occurring in greatest quantity while flavonoids, anthraquinones and cardenolides (0.01 mg/g, each) were the least. All the 20 standard amino acids were detected in the plant leaf, with the lowest concentration being 0.30 mg/g for methionine and the highest being 2.12 mg/g for cysteine. Furthermore, P. nigrescens leaves contained Na, K, Fe, Mg, Zn, Ca, Cu, Mn, P, Pb, Cd, Ni, Cr, and Co, with Fe present in the highest and Co the lowest concentrations. Paroxetine significantly (P<0.05) reduced MF, IF, EF, percentage mounted , intromitted, ejaculated, IR, CE, serum testosterone, LH, FSH and NO, while ML, IL, PEI, IF and PDE5 were significantly (P<0.05) increased and/or prolonged. The AEPN significantly reversed these paroxetine-treatment-related alterations with most profound activity at the highest dose of 80 mg/kg BW, similar to that of the PowMaxM-treated animals.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The AEPN restored both the physical and biochemical indices of male sexual activity/competence via changes in reproductive hormones, NO and PDE5 activity. The pro-sexual activity, attributed to a myriad of mineral, amino acid and secondary metabolite constituents, was best at 80 mg/kg BW of AEPN.</p>
ABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>This study investigated the aphrodisiac activity of aqueous extract of Anthonotha macrophylla leaves (AEAML) in female Wistar rats.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Thirty female rats were assigned into five groups of six animals each, such that rats in groups A, B, C, D and E received orally 1 mL of distilled water only, 5.7 mg/kg body weight (BW) of Exus Ginseng (a polyherbal formulation), 25, 50 and 100 mg/kg BW of AEAML, respectively. After 1 h of treatment, female sexual behaviour parameters were monitored for 30 min. Luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), estradiol (E) and testosterone were also determined using standard methods.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Six secondary metabolites were detected in AEAML with alkaloids (13.00 mg/L) being the highest. AEAML at 25 and 50 mg/kg BW significantly (P<0.05) increased the darting frequency, hopping frequency, lordosis frequency, anogenital grooming, genital grooming and licking behaviour, whereas the darting latency, hopping latency and lordosis latency decreased (P<0.05) in a manner comparable with Exus Ginseng. The 25 and 50 mg/kg BW of AEAML increased (P<0.05) the serum concentrations of FSH, LH and E, like Exus Ginseng, whereas testosterone content was not altered (P>0.05). The 100 mg/kg BW of AEAML did not alter (P>0.05) the sexual behaviour parameters, serum FSH, LH and E contents, whereas testosterone content increased significantly. The ovarian histology of the animals treated with Exus Ginseng, AEAML at 25 and 50 mg/kg BW revealed developing and ruptured follicles with numerous corpora lutea in the stroma, whereas the 100 mg/kg BW of AEAML produced fewer follicles and corpora lutea.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The enhanced proceptive, receptive and orientation components of the female sexual behaviour by the 25 and 50 mg/kg BW of AEAML confers sexual invigorating potential on the plant. This study thus justifies the folkloric claim of the plant as a female aphrodisiac.</p>
ABSTRACT
The abortifacient claim of Senna alata [S. alata] was scientifically validated recently with alkaloids speculated to be the bioactive agent. This speculation is yet to be substantiated or refuted by scientific evidence. The present study was aimed to investigate the pregnancy terminating effects of the alkaloids from S. alata leaves. Twenty four Pregnant rats [143.99 +/- 1.21 g] allocated randomly to four groups: A, B, C and D respectively received, 0.5 ml of distilled water, 250, 500 and 1000 mg/kg body weight of the S. alata extracted alkaloids orally, once daily from day 10 until day 18 post-coitum. The indices of abortifacient were evaluated at the end of the exposure period. The results were analyzed by both the analysis of variance and Duncan's multiple range test and p<0.05 was considered as statistically significant. Thin-layer chromatographic separation produced five spots with Rf values of 0.28, 0.33, 0.39, 0.47 and 0.55 which gave positive reaction with Meyer's and Wagner's reagents, respectively. The number of implantation sites and corpora lutea, as well as the concentrations of FSH, LH, progesterone, weight of uterus, uterine/body weight ratio, glucose and cholesterol decreased significantly [p<0.05] whereas the resorption index, pre- and post-implantation losses, uterine protein content and alkaline phosphatase activity increased significantly. None of the alkaloid treated animals presented with provoked vaginal opening or bleeding except fetal deaths. The alkaloid decreased the maternal weight gain, as well as feed and water intake. Overall, the alkaloids from S. alata leaves exhibited anti-implantation, anti-gonadotropic, anti-progesteronic, embryonic resorptive, feto-maternal toxic activities but not complete abortifacient. The alkaloids alone may not be the sole abortifacient bioactive agent in the leaf extract
Subject(s)
Animals, Laboratory , Alkaloids , Senna Extract , Plant Leaves , Copulation , Pregnancy Outcome , Pregnancy, Animal , Abortifacient Agents , RatsABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the toxic implications of ethanolic stem bark extract of Azadirachta indica (A. indica) at 50, 100, 200 and 300 mg/kg body weight in Wistar rats.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Fifty male rats of Wistar strains were randomly grouped into five (A-E) of ten animals each. Animals in Group A (control) were orally administered 1 mL of distilled water on daily basis for 21 days while those in Groups B-E received same volume of the extract corresponding to 50, 100, 200 and 300 mg/kg body weight.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The extract did not significantly (P>0.05) alter the levels of albumin, total protein, red blood cells and factors relating to it whereas the white blood cell, platelets, serum triacylglycerol and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol decreased significantly (P<0.05). In contrast, the final body weights, absolute weights of the liver, kidney, lungs and heart as well as their organ-body weight ratios, serum globulins, total and conjugated bilirubin, serum cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and computed atherogenic index increased significantly. The spleen-body weight ratio, alkaline phosphatase, alanine and aspartate transaminases, sodium, potassium, calcium, feed and water intake were altered at specific doses.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Overall, the alterations in the biochemical parameters of toxicity have consequential effects on the normal functioning of the organs of the animals. Therefore, the ethanolic extract of A. indica stem bark at the doses of 50, 100, 200 and 300 mg/kg body weight may not be completely safe as an oral remedy and should be taken with caution if absolutely necessary.</p>