Abstract

Aim: Purpose of the study was to investigate body weight, testicular weight, gonadosomatic index, testosterone assay and testicular histology of the male albino rats, Wistar strain, treated with graded concentrations of aqueous and methanol extracts of Prosopis africana.

Methods and Materials: Thirty-six (36) adult male albino rats of 12- 13 weeks old and weighing between 200 g and 250 g. Six (6) rats were used to determine the median lethal dose (LD₅₀) of the extracts while the remaining thirty rats were divided into five groups (A, B, C, D and E) with six rats in each group. Group A and B; D and E were given 500mg/kg and 1000mg/kg of aqueous and methanolic extract, respectively; group C was the control group and was given 10 mL of distilled water for 21 days. However, two (2) rats were randomly picked from each group and sacrificed on days 7, 14 and 21 to study the GSI, hormonal assay and histology using the blood and testicular samples.

Results: There was no significant difference (p>0.05) in the body weight, testicular weight, gonadosomatic index and testosterone levels within the experimental groups and when compared with the control group throughout the study. Histology of the testis for the experimental group and the control rats showed no visible pathologic lesions. However, the two extracts at both dosages, except the 1000mg/kg aqueous, increased testosterone titer in albino rats.

Conclusions: It was concluded that the extracts of Prosopis Africana seem to enhance testosterone titer in treated rats with cautious to the apparent inhibitory effect on GSI.

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