Extract of Adenopus breviflorus Fruit Alters the Expressions of Hepatic Cytochrome C, Caspase 3 and Sperm Parameters in Rats

Abstract

Adenopus breviflorus fruit is used in traditional medicine against the outbreak of measles and the treatment of gonorrhoea in men. The fruit has been shown to have anti‐implantation activity. However, the safety of the aqueous extract of Adenopus breviflorus (AEAB) fruit on the function of the liver and male reproduction has not been studied. Therefore, this study investigated the effect of the oral administration of the AEAB fruit on rat liver function enzymes, cytochrome c release, caspase 3 expression and male reproductive functions. Adult male rats (15) were randomly divided into three groups of 5 animals per group. Animals in group 1 received distilled water while animals in groups 2 and 3 received an oral dose of 200 mg/kg and 400 mg/kg of AEAB fruit for 30 days, respectively. Alanine transaminase, alkaline phosphatase and aspartate transaminase enzyme activities were assayed spectrophotometrically. Cytochrome c and caspase 3 protein expressions in rat liver tissues were determined using immunohistochemistry. Sperm abnormality, sperm count and sperm motility were also determined. The result obtained showed that there was no significant (p < 0.05) difference in serum alanine transaminase, alkaline phosphatase and aspartate transaminase between the treated groups and the control. Immunohistochemistry showed that cytochrome c release and caspase 3 proteins were significantly (p < 0.05) expressed in the liver of animals in the treated groups when compared to the control. Furthermore, sperm abnormality significantly (p < 0.05) increased while sperm count of rats orally exposed to AEAB fruit were significantly (p < 0.05) reduced in the treated groups when compared to the control group. Specifically, sperm motility was significantly (p < 0.05) reduced only in group 3 when compared with the control. This study show that the aqueous extract of Adenopus breviflorus fruit may not be hepatotoxic. However, this extract may have the potential to activate mitochondria cell death through cytochrome c release and activation of caspase 3 in rat liver. Furthermore, our study revealed that the extract may cause reproductive dysfunction in men. Therefore, the use of the extract in the treatment of gonorrhoea in traditional medicine should be carried out with utmost care.