Assessment of polyscias frutcosa (L.) Harm (Araliaceae) leaf extract on male fertility in rats

Abstract

Background: Polyscias frutcosa is used widely as food, remedy for diseases, and as anornamental across Afro-Asian countries. For instance, P. frutcosa is used traditionally as an ant-asthma, ant-tussive, and a muco-suppressant herbal remedy for asthmatics in Ghana. Although many studies have investgated the pharmacological basis of the ethnobotanical uses of P. frutcosa, however, its efect on the reproductve system remains completely unknown. Aim of study: This study assessed efects of P. frutcosa leaf extract (PFE) on male fertility and toxicity in adult male Wistar rats. Materials and methods: After crude preparaton of PFE, it was subjected to qualitative phytochemical, thin layer chromatography and gas chromatography mass spectrometry analyses. The effect of PFE was assessed on male fertility and toxicity by using healthy adult male Wistar rats. Rats were randomly assigned to normal saline (5 ml/kg po, n = 5), Clomiphene Citrate (CL; 50 mg/kg po; n = 5), and PFE (100, 200, and 500 mg/kg po; n = 5, respectively) groups and treated for 21 days. On day 22, rats were sacrificed and male fertility parameters (lef tests weight, relative tests weight, caudal epididymal weight, caudal epididymal sperm count, sperm motility, sperm morphology, and assessment of male sex hormones and testicular histology) were assessed. Results: There were no significant changes in bodyweight, weight of lef tests, weights of right and left caudal epididymitis between treatment groups (PFE and CL) and control. Caudal epididymis sperm count increased in PFE (100 and 500 mg/kg)-treated rats relative to control. Sperm motility relatively increased in PFE-treated rats compared to control. Sperm abnormality decreased in PFE-treated rats, especially in PFE (100 mg/kg) group compared to control. Serum testosterone levels decreased inversely with serumluteinizing hormone levels in PFE-treated rats compared to control. There were minimal-to-no-alteratons in histological sections of tests, except vacuolatons at primary spermatocyte stage. Glycosides, saponins, cyanogenic glycosides, sterols, and alkaloids were detected in PFE Conclusion: PFE improved caudal epididymal sperm count and may be useful as male fertility enhancer but exhaustive safety studies on key male sex organs needs to be established