Authors :
Stanley Chidi Udedi; Victor Nwabunwanne Oguaka; Kingsley Ikechukwu Ubaoji; Charles Chijioke Dike; Kingsley Kelechi Asogwa
Volume/Issue :
Volume 8 - 2023, Issue 6 - June
Google Scholar :
https://bit.ly/3TmGbDi
Scribd :
https://tinyurl.com/3mwzpamn
DOI :
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.8162651
Abstract :
Background:
Justicia carnea has overwhelming evidence
demonstrating its medicinal and nutritional benefits,
some of its phytochemicals are antinutritional and can
have negative consequences including impairment of the
male reproductive functions when ingested. The adverse
effects on male reproductive function by ethanol leaf
extract of Justicia carnea has been reported including
alteration of the antioxidant system of the testes,
reduction in the weight of testes, reduced sperm
count/motility and testosterone levels as well as distortion
of the histoarchitecture of the testis in male wistar albino
rats. Most agents that alter male fertility do so by altering
the antioxidant system of the testes.
Aims and Objectives:
The aim of this study is to determine the varieties of
phytochemicals present in both boiled aqueous and
ethanol extracts of the leaves of Justicia carnea, the
impact of administration of these extracts on the
testicular antioxidant system status (superoxide
dismutase - SOD, catalase - CAT, malonaldehyde - MDA
and reduced glutathione - GSH) and
testicular/epididymal histology of male Wistar Albino
rats.Methods:
The GC-MS of both boiled aqueous extracts (AJC)
and ethanol extracts (EJC) of the leaves of Justicia carnea
were carried out to determine the phytochemical
components of both extracts which were administered to
the experimental male Wistar Albino rats. Forty-Two
Albino Wistar rats (12-14 weeks of age) in seven groups
(I-VII) with average weight of 180-200g were used for the
study. The control was fed normal grower feed and water
only. The test groups were in addition given 200, 400 and
600 mg/kg BW of either boiled aqueous or ethanolic-leaf
extracts of Justicia carnea for a period of 21 days. The
first batch of the experimental animals (drawn from each
group) were sacrificed on day 21 and the second batch
were fed normal grower feed and water only for further
52 days after discontinuation of the extracts before
sacrificing them. Testicular tissue redox status was
determined by assaying for superoxide dismutase (SOD)
using Sun and Zigma method, catalase by Aebi method,
Malondialdehyde (MDA) by Buege and Aust method,
reduced glutathione (GSH) by Sedlak and Lindsay
method. The histology of the testis/epididymis was also
carried out. Statistical Package for the Social Sciences
(SPSS) version 25 was used for analysis of the results.Results:
The GC-MS results show that the ethanol extract
has six different known male antifertility compounds
while the boiled aqueous extracts have two. There was no
significant change (P < 0.05) in the level of testicular SOD
after 21 days of administration of the extracts except for
the group that received 400mg/kg BW of AJC which had
a significantly higher level that was reversed 52 days after
discontinuation. However, at 52 days after
discontinuation, the group that received 400mg/kg BW of
EJC had significantly higher SOD (P < 0.05) compared to
the rest. Testicular catalase (CAT) was reduced but not
significantly (P < 0.05) in all the experimental groups
experimental groups at 21 days after administration of
both extracts but exhibited variable changes at 52 days
after withdrawal of administration of the extracts. While
there was a non-significant reduction (P < 0.05) in the
levels of CAT amongst most groups, there was a non-
significant increase (P < 0.05) in the group that received
400mg/kg BW of AJC and a significant increase (P <
0.05) in the group that received 400mg/kg BW of EJC.
The administration of 400mg/kg BW, 600mg/kg BW of
EJC and 600mg/kg BW of AJC caused a significant
decrease (P < 0.05) in the levels of reduced glutathione
(GSH), while 400mg/kg BW of AJC caused a non-
significant reduction (P < 0.05) after 21 days of
administration. At lower doses, 200mg/kg BW of AJC
caused a non-significant increase (P < 0.05) while
200mg/kg BW of EJC caused a significant increase (P <
0.05) in the levels of GSH after 21 days of administration.
At 52 days after discontinuation, the group that received
200mg/kg BW of EJC still had a sustained significantly
higher (P < 0.05) level of GSH, while the group that
received 200mg/kg BW AJC still had no significant
change (P < 0.05) in the level of GSH. However, the group
that received 400mg/kg BW of AJC and 600mg/kg BW
EJC still showed a significantly lower (P < 0.05) GSH
while those that received 400mg/kg BW of EJC and
600mg/kg BW of AJC had a non-significant decrease (P <
0.05) in the GSH activity 52 days after withdrawal. Many
of the treatment groups show significantly higher level (P
< 0.05) of testicular malondialdehyde (MDA) after 21
days of treatment, except the groups that received
200mg/kg BW of AJC and 600mg/kg BW of EJC which
showed non-significantly lower (P < 0.05) levels and
unchanged levels respectively. The, group that received
400mg/kg BW of EJC had the least MDA levels at 21 days
after administration which is significantly lower (P <
0.05) than the control. Most of the changes in the levels of
MDA were in reversal at 52 days after discontinuation of
the extracts as the 200mg/kg BW, 400mg/kg BW of EJC
and 400mg/kg of AJC groups then had non-significantly
elevated (P < 0.05) MDA levels. While the group that
received 200mg/kg BW of AJC had significantly lower
levels (P < 0.05) of MDA, the group that received
600mg/kg BW of EJC and 600mg/kg BW of AJC had
non-significantly lower (P < 0.05) MDA levels. There was
no obvious distortion of testicular histology or
histoarchitecture in any of the experimental groups as the
epididymis displayed normal ducts, while the testisshowed seminiferous tubules with layers of germ cells at
various stages of maturation.Conclusion:
There are numerous male antifertility phytochemicals in
both extracts of Justicia carnea. This study shows that boiled
aqueous and ethanol extracts of Justicia carnea leaves can
have a negative impact on the testicular antioxidant system
and by extension the male fertility potentials but no
recognizable effect on the histoarchitecture of the testes at the
doses used in this study.
Keywords :
Justicia Carnea, Gc-Ms, Antifertility Compounds, Testicular Antioxidant System (Sod, Cat, Mda, Gsh), Male Fertility, Testicular Histology, Histoarchitecture.
Background:
Justicia carnea has overwhelming evidence
demonstrating its medicinal and nutritional benefits,
some of its phytochemicals are antinutritional and can
have negative consequences including impairment of the
male reproductive functions when ingested. The adverse
effects on male reproductive function by ethanol leaf
extract of Justicia carnea has been reported including
alteration of the antioxidant system of the testes,
reduction in the weight of testes, reduced sperm
count/motility and testosterone levels as well as distortion
of the histoarchitecture of the testis in male wistar albino
rats. Most agents that alter male fertility do so by altering
the antioxidant system of the testes.
Aims and Objectives:
The aim of this study is to determine the varieties of
phytochemicals present in both boiled aqueous and
ethanol extracts of the leaves of Justicia carnea, the
impact of administration of these extracts on the
testicular antioxidant system status (superoxide
dismutase - SOD, catalase - CAT, malonaldehyde - MDA
and reduced glutathione - GSH) and
testicular/epididymal histology of male Wistar Albino
rats.Methods:
The GC-MS of both boiled aqueous extracts (AJC)
and ethanol extracts (EJC) of the leaves of Justicia carnea
were carried out to determine the phytochemical
components of both extracts which were administered to
the experimental male Wistar Albino rats. Forty-Two
Albino Wistar rats (12-14 weeks of age) in seven groups
(I-VII) with average weight of 180-200g were used for the
study. The control was fed normal grower feed and water
only. The test groups were in addition given 200, 400 and
600 mg/kg BW of either boiled aqueous or ethanolic-leaf
extracts of Justicia carnea for a period of 21 days. The
first batch of the experimental animals (drawn from each
group) were sacrificed on day 21 and the second batch
were fed normal grower feed and water only for further
52 days after discontinuation of the extracts before
sacrificing them. Testicular tissue redox status was
determined by assaying for superoxide dismutase (SOD)
using Sun and Zigma method, catalase by Aebi method,
Malondialdehyde (MDA) by Buege and Aust method,
reduced glutathione (GSH) by Sedlak and Lindsay
method. The histology of the testis/epididymis was also
carried out. Statistical Package for the Social Sciences
(SPSS) version 25 was used for analysis of the results.Results:
The GC-MS results show that the ethanol extract
has six different known male antifertility compounds
while the boiled aqueous extracts have two. There was no
significant change (P < 0.05) in the level of testicular SOD
after 21 days of administration of the extracts except for
the group that received 400mg/kg BW of AJC which had
a significantly higher level that was reversed 52 days after
discontinuation. However, at 52 days after
discontinuation, the group that received 400mg/kg BW of
EJC had significantly higher SOD (P < 0.05) compared to
the rest. Testicular catalase (CAT) was reduced but not
significantly (P < 0.05) in all the experimental groups
experimental groups at 21 days after administration of
both extracts but exhibited variable changes at 52 days
after withdrawal of administration of the extracts. While
there was a non-significant reduction (P < 0.05) in the
levels of CAT amongst most groups, there was a non-
significant increase (P < 0.05) in the group that received
400mg/kg BW of AJC and a significant increase (P <
0.05) in the group that received 400mg/kg BW of EJC.
The administration of 400mg/kg BW, 600mg/kg BW of
EJC and 600mg/kg BW of AJC caused a significant
decrease (P < 0.05) in the levels of reduced glutathione
(GSH), while 400mg/kg BW of AJC caused a non-
significant reduction (P < 0.05) after 21 days of
administration. At lower doses, 200mg/kg BW of AJC
caused a non-significant increase (P < 0.05) while
200mg/kg BW of EJC caused a significant increase (P <
0.05) in the levels of GSH after 21 days of administration.
At 52 days after discontinuation, the group that received
200mg/kg BW of EJC still had a sustained significantly
higher (P < 0.05) level of GSH, while the group that
received 200mg/kg BW AJC still had no significant
change (P < 0.05) in the level of GSH. However, the group
that received 400mg/kg BW of AJC and 600mg/kg BW
EJC still showed a significantly lower (P < 0.05) GSH
while those that received 400mg/kg BW of EJC and
600mg/kg BW of AJC had a non-significant decrease (P <
0.05) in the GSH activity 52 days after withdrawal. Many
of the treatment groups show significantly higher level (P
< 0.05) of testicular malondialdehyde (MDA) after 21
days of treatment, except the groups that received
200mg/kg BW of AJC and 600mg/kg BW of EJC which
showed non-significantly lower (P < 0.05) levels and
unchanged levels respectively. The, group that received
400mg/kg BW of EJC had the least MDA levels at 21 days
after administration which is significantly lower (P <
0.05) than the control. Most of the changes in the levels of
MDA were in reversal at 52 days after discontinuation of
the extracts as the 200mg/kg BW, 400mg/kg BW of EJC
and 400mg/kg of AJC groups then had non-significantly
elevated (P < 0.05) MDA levels. While the group that
received 200mg/kg BW of AJC had significantly lower
levels (P < 0.05) of MDA, the group that received
600mg/kg BW of EJC and 600mg/kg BW of AJC had
non-significantly lower (P < 0.05) MDA levels. There was
no obvious distortion of testicular histology or
histoarchitecture in any of the experimental groups as the
epididymis displayed normal ducts, while the testisshowed seminiferous tubules with layers of germ cells at
various stages of maturation.Conclusion:
There are numerous male antifertility phytochemicals in
both extracts of Justicia carnea. This study shows that boiled
aqueous and ethanol extracts of Justicia carnea leaves can
have a negative impact on the testicular antioxidant system
and by extension the male fertility potentials but no
recognizable effect on the histoarchitecture of the testes at the
doses used in this study.
Keywords :
Justicia Carnea, Gc-Ms, Antifertility Compounds, Testicular Antioxidant System (Sod, Cat, Mda, Gsh), Male Fertility, Testicular Histology, Histoarchitecture.
