Volume 17, Issue 40, July - December, 2023

Alterations in testis histology, reproductive hormones and abnormal sperm morphology in mice treated with polyherbal antimalarials

Rachel Omagha^1♦, Emmanuel T Idowu¹, Chibuisi G Alimba², Adetoro O Otubanjo², Esther O Agbaje³, Wellington A Oyibo⁴

¹Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, University of Lagos, Lagos, Nigeria
²Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria
³Department of Pharmacology, Therapeutics and Toxicology, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Lagos, Lagos, Nigeria
⁴Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Lagos, Lagos, Nigeria

^♦Corresponding author
Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, University of Lagos, Lagos, Nigeria

ABSTRACT

Introduction: Malaria remains a significant public health challenge in sub-saharan Africa. As a result, the high cost of conventional antimalarial drugs, poor quality drugs, and the emergence of drug resistance have necessitated the need for alternative sources of medicine to treat and prevent malaria. Safety concerns have also been raised in regard to herbal remedies, which have made it necessary for the screening of two antimalarial polyherbal remedies namely CtA and CtB prepared from a defined mixture of hot water extracts of 6 plants (Cymbopogon citratus Stapf, Curcuma longa L., Enantia chlorantha Oliv., Mangifera indica L., Carica papaya L., Alstonia boonei De Wild.). Materials and methods: Scientific justification was reported as to the assumed efficacy of the plant cocktails. On that basis, the reprotoxic impact of antimalarial treatments of CtA and CtB on the male reproductive system of mice is investigated in this study. This is done by evaluating testiculosomatic index, histopathological changes of testes, sperm morphology, and enzyme immunoassays for testosterone and luteinizing hormone. Analyses of data were done by using the software version 23 of SPSS. This was followed by Dunnett’s multiple post hoc test with significance considered at p<0.05. Results: The data analyzed showed that testiculosomatic index significantly decreased in the suppressive group, but increased in the prophylactic and treated/unparasitized groups. Histology of the testes revealed interstitial oedema, erosion of the germinal epithelium. The number of abnormal sperm cells was significantly increased in the curative, suppressive, prophylactic and treated/unparasitized groups. Sperm cells with folded tail occurred more prominently, while knobbed sperm cells had fewer occurrence. Testosterone and luteinizing hormone concentrations were significantly decreased in the suppressive and prophylactic groups. In the curative groups, concentrations had a significant increase for testosterone, but there was a decrease in luteinizing hormone concentration. Conclusions: The results generally showed treatment-associated damage to the mice DNA. Therefore, it is noted in this study that excessive consumption of these antimalarial cocktail should be regulated. Further studies in this area should focus on establishing appropriate means to use polyherbal antimalarials.

Keywords: Polyherbal antimalarials; Reproductive hormones; Testis histology; Abnormal sperm morphology; Mus musculus

Drug Discovery, 2023, 17(40), e29dd1947

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DOI: https://doi.org/10.54905/disssi.v17i40.e29dd1947

Published: 31 August 2023