Genetic and reproductive toxicity of aqueous extracts of Telfairia occidentalis (Hook F.), Vernonia amygdalina and their combination on the testicular cells of male mice

Abstract

Telfairia occidentalis (Hook F.) and Vernonia amygdalina are two commonly consumed vegetables, individually and as recipes, for their nutritive and medicinal values in Africa. Data on reproductive toxicity and DNA damage of the combination of these plants on the male reproductive system is scarce. We evaluated the toxic and genotoxic effects of aqueous extracts of T. occidentalis and V. amygdalina and their combination on the reproductive cells of male Swiss albino mice. Groups of mice exposed to five concentrations (62.5–1000 mg/kg) of each extract or combination as against distilled water and cyclophosphamide (20 mg/kg bwt) as negative and positive control respectively were examined for abnormal sperm morphology, organo-somatic index and pathological changes. Each of the extracts significantly reduced the frequency of aberrant sperm cells, while their combination provoked increasing sperm abnormalities when compared with the negative control. None of the extracts induced adverse effect on body and testes weight of exposed mice. There was no visible histological lesion induced by extracts of V. amygdalina but there were residual bodies indicative of increased spermatogenesis. The extracts of T. occidentalis induced necrosis only at 1000 mg/kg, while with the combination, there were necrotic cells, mild congestion of blood vessels, and the seminiferous tubules had irregular outlines. These indicates that aqueous extracts of T. occidentalis and V. amygdalina individually at the tested doses did not evoke significant induction of genetic damage in the sperm head, and pathological changes unlike the combination in mice.