Anti-Inflammation Potentials of Ageratum Conyzoides against Crude Oil-Induced Inflammation and Sperm DNA Damage in Male Wistar Rats

Abstract

Sperm carry the necessary genome materials require for procreation in the deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), and the integrity of this DNA is cardinal to the survival and function of spermatozoa. This integrity can be compromised due to the vulnerability of sperm cell which could impact negatively on male reproductive health. Forty male Wistar rats (119-128g body weight) were divided into eight groups of five rats each. Group I served as the control and were oral gavaged 3ml/kg of normal saline; groups II-IV gavaged 374.17mg/kg, 748.33mg/kg and 1122.50mg/kg body weight of the extract of Ageratum conyzoides respectively. Group V was gavaged 3ml/kg body weight of Nigerian Bonnylight crude oil (NBLCO). Groups VI-VIII was co-administered the aforementioned doses of the extract of Ageratum conyzoides with 3ml/kg body weight of NBLCO respectively. The results showed that NBLCO significantly increased DNA damages, elevated C-reactive protein and interleukin-6 levels compared to the control and extract of Ageratum conyzoides groups (p<0.05). The co-administration of ethanol leaf-extracts of Ageratum conyzoides with NBLCO significantly reversed these trends (p<0.05). While the NBLCO significantly decreased platelet count and percentage of the circulating neutrophils compared to the control and extract treated groups (p<0.05), it significantly elevated the total white blood cell count (p<0.05). But the co-administration of the extract with NBLCO significantly increased platelet count as well as the percentage of circulating neutrophils (p<0.05). It is concluded that the co-administration of ethanol leaf-extract of Ageratum conyzoides with NBLCO can ameliorate sperm DNA.