Sperm production and related phenomena in rats fed diets containing pawpaw peels, seeds and leaves

Abstract

This study was undertaken to see the effects of dietary inclusion of pawpaw peels, seeds and leaves on sperm production and related phenomena in rats using four diets as follows: In diet 1 and 2 50% of rat pellets were replaced by pawpaw leaves and seeds respectively, while in diet 3 40% of rat pellets was replaced by unripe pawpaw peels and dies 4 was 100% rat pellet and served as control.

The control and pawpaw seed-based diets supported a continuous positive growth unlike the other two diets. Also organ weights, sperm reserves of the control rats were generally superior to those of rats on the other diets except the seed-based diets. However, sperm move faster through the epididymis of rats fed the leaf-based diet while the movement of sperm through the epididymis of rats on pawpaw peel- and seed-based diets was delayed compared to the sperm transit in the control group. The results have shown that dietary inclusion of pawpaw leaves, seeds and peels has some adverse effects on sperm production and storage potentials and epididymal transit in the rat.

Key words: Pawpaw peels, seeds and leaves; sperm production; rats