Abstract
BackgroundSenecio biafrae (Asteraceae) is a medicinal plant widely used by traditional healers in the western region of Cameroon for the treatment of female infertility. This experiment was designed to evaluate the effect of the aqueous extract from leaves and stems of S. biafrae (AESb) on the onset of puberty and some biochemical and physiological parameters of reproduction in immature Wistar female rats.MethodsDifferent doses of AESb were daily and orally administered to immature female rats (13 animals/group) for 30 days. At the end of the treatment period, six animal of each experimental group were sacrificed and their body, ovarian, uterus weight; uterine, ovarian protein or cholesterol level as well as data on puberty onset recorded. The remaining animals of each group were used for the fertility test and some gestational parameters recorded.ResultsA linear increase in the growth rate of all animals was observed. The body weight gain in animals treated at the dose of 8 mg/kg of AESb significantly increased (p < 0.05) after 25 days of treatment while those receiving the doses of 32 and 64 mg/kg presented a significantly low body weight gain starting from the 19th day till the end of the treatment period. The ages (days) of animals at vaginal opening (VO) was significantly reduced (p < 0.05) in those treated with the doses of 32 (41.25 ± 0.51) and 64 mg/kg (41.42 ± 0.54) as compared to control animals (43.33 ± 0.73). AESb significantly increased (p < 0.05) the ovarian weight and the number of corpora lutea in animals treated with 8 mg/kg as well as the uterine weight and protein levels irrespective of the dose. No significant effect of the extract on various fertility and gestational parameters was registered.ConclusionThe overall results of the present study provide evidence on the puberty onset induction and ovarian folliculogenesis effect of AESb in immature female rat.
Highlights
Senecio biafrae (Asteraceae) is a medicinal plant widely used by traditional healers in the western region of Cameroon for the treatment of female infertility
They include the use of fertility drugs to stimulate “superovulation”, intrauterine insemination, Assisted Reproductive Technologies (ARTs) and medicinal plants preparation to which most of the infertile couple in developing countries generally rely for their treatment [15,16]
Precocious puberty onset can be induced in a prepubertal animal by repeated injections of Gonadotropin Releasing Hormone (GnRH), Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH), Luteinizing Hormone (LH) or of an analogous compound of a general excitatory neurotransmitter of the central nervous system, like glutamate or aspartate which induce the pulsatile releases of GnRH [36]
Summary
Senecio biafrae (Asteraceae) is a medicinal plant widely used by traditional healers in the western region of Cameroon for the treatment of female infertility. This experiment was designed to evaluate the effect of the aqueous extract from leaves and stems of S. biafrae (AESb) on the onset of puberty and some biochemical and physiological parameters of reproduction in immature Wistar female rats. A range of medical and alternative treatments exist for infertility They include the use of fertility drugs to stimulate “superovulation”, intrauterine insemination, Assisted Reproductive Technologies (ARTs) and medicinal plants preparation to which most of the infertile couple in developing countries generally rely for their treatment [15,16]
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