The effect of the aqueous extract of the leaves of Boerhavia diffusa Linn. on semen and testicular morphology of male wistar rats

The effect of aqueous leaf extract of Boerhavia diffusa plant on the semen and testicular morphology of male Wistar rats was investigated. Thirty five rats were divided into seven groups of five animals each (Groups I-VII) with group I serving as the control. Distilled water (0.5 mls) was administered orally to rats in Group I (Control), while rats in the remaining six experimental groups (II-VII) were dosed orally with 50, 100 and 150mg/kg of 2.4% aqueous extract of B. diffusa for 60 days and then euthanized immediately (Grps II, IV & VI) or allowed to recover for one week before euthanasia (Grps III, V & VII). The serum testosterone level, weights and histopathology of the testes, epididymes and seminal vesicles were determined, and the spermatozoa from the cauda epididymes of the groups were studied. Data were compared using Man-whitney’s test and analysis of variance (ANOVA). There was no significant difference in the serum testosterone level between treated rats and control. The weights of the testes, epididymes and seminal vesicles were however significantly (P<0.05) decreased in treated rats compared with the control. Sperm motility and sperm count decreased significantly (P<0.05) also in the treated rats compared with the control. In addition, the sperm live-dead ratio decreased significantly (P<0.05) in rats treated with 100 and 150mg/kg of the extract (Grps IV-VII) compared with the control. Histopathology of the testes of treated rats revealed marked degeneration of germinal epithelia with spermiostasis. This result suggests that aqueous extract of B. diffusa produced adverse effects in semen and testicular morphology of the rats.