Effects of aqueous leaf extract of Acalypha wilkesiana on semen morphology and characteristics in male Wistar albino rats

Abstract

To study the effect of the aqueous leaf extract of Acalypha wilkesiana (Euphorbiaceae) on some reproductive parameters of male Wistar albino rats,  three groups (A, B and C) of six rats each were treated with 400, 800 and 1600 mg/kg/day of leaf extract of Acalypha wilkesiana, respectively for 28 days while 5 mLs/kg of distilled water was given to the control group D. At the end of the experimental period, animals were sacrificed and sperm characteristics, histology of the testes and epididymis were assessed. Sperm motility (80.00+7.0, 75.00+2.9), sperm count (82.75+2.7, 76.50+3.8) and  sperm live/dead (96.00+2.0, 94.50+1.7) were not significantly reduced (P<0.05) at the dosages of 400 and 800 mg/kg Acalypha wilkesiana leaf extract, respectively. did not have any significant reduction (P<0.05) in, but significant (P<0.05) reductions in sperm count (71.50+3.5*) was observed at 1600 mg/kg dose. Also, significant (P<0.05) increase in morphological abnormalities of the spermatozoa were only observed in the 1600 mg/kg treated  group of rats. Histopathological evaluation of the testis and revealed varying degrees of degeneration and necrosis of the germinal epithelia cell of the seminiferous tubules and spermiostasis, whereas no significant lesion was seen in the epididymis. The high dose of the leaf extract of Acalypha wilkesiana may have significant anti-spermatogenic effects on adult male Wistar rats.

Keywords: extract, leaf extract of Acalypha wilkesiana, rats, sperm.