Ameliorative effect of aqueous Cissus populnea suspension on cotton seed-induced testicular damage in male Wistar rats

Abstract

Abstract Background Testicular damage is an important etiological factor in male infertility. Despite reported decline in global incidence of infertility over the past years, pockets of cases are still ironically noticed to occur in developing countries due to limitation of accessibility to advanced management methods, hence their resort to alternative herbal therapy. Methods Testicular damage was induced using cotton seed. Cissus populnea was cut into chunks, air-dried, pulverized, powdered and suspended in water. Thirty-two (32) matured male Wistar rats were randomly divided into 4 groups (Group 1–4) designated as control, 100 mg/kg C. populnea (CP), cotton seed meal (CSM) and CSM + CP groups, each consisting of 8 rats. Group 1 was fed with normal rat chow, Group 2 was fed with 100 mg/kg CP, and Group 3 was fed with CSM for 8 weeks. Rats in Group 4 were fed with CSM for 8 weeks and dosed with 100 mg/kg aqueous C. populnea suspension for another 8 weeks. At the expiration of test period, the rats were sacrificed, blood sample collected, and plasma obtained for luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), testosterone, estrogen, catalase, superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and glutathione (GSH) measurements. Semen was collected for analysis and testes harvested for histological studies. Result There is a significant decrease (p < 0.05) in plasma FSH, LH, testosterone, estrogen, GSH, catalase, SOD, and GPx in rats fed on CSM when compared with values obtained in the control and aqueous C. populnea suspension-fed rats. Seminal fluid analysis showed a significant reduction (p < 0.05) in the sperm count, motility, morphology, vitality, and non-vitality among rats fed with CSM when compared to control rats. The histologic features of the testes showed abnormal interstitial appearances and absent Leydig cells in many areas among cotton seed-fed rats. Improvements in reproductive hormones, sperm qualities, and histological features were observed to occur in CSM group following administration of aqueous C. populnea suspension. Conclusion Based on the findings from this study, it can be concluded that aqueous C. populnea suspension ameliorates cotton seed-induced hypothalamo-pituitary–testicular axis functional disruption and testicular damage.