ABSTRACT

Ocimurn grail csiuiuin is a well known plant use in the Indian system of medicine. Folklore medicine claims its use in headache, fever, diarrhea, pneumonia etc. Research carried out using different in vitro and in vivo techniques of biological evaluation supports most of the clainis. But there is scanty information on its effect on female fertility hormones. This study was designed to investigate the effect of its methanolic extract on fertility hormones in female albino rats. Methanolic extract of Ocimiim graiissi,nurn was prepared through cold maceration. The extract was administered for 21 days for hormonal studies. Distilled water served as the control. The serum level of Prolactin, Progesterone, Luteinizing hormone, Estradiol, Follicle stimulating hormone, testosterone were assayed using Enzyme-linked Imniunosorbent Assay (ELISA) . Data were analyzed using ANOVA at (P<0.05). Treatments of rats with mcthanoiic extract of Ocimurn gralissinlum caused non- significant decrease (P>0.05) of estradiol in groupi and a non-significant increase in group 2 compared with the control respectively. (1.74±0.05), (2.06±0.24) and (1.84±0.16), but a significant decrease between group I and 2. Also a dose dependent significant decrease P<0.05) in testosterone serum level (30.46.LO.50) compared with the control (35.18±2.3 1). There was non- significant decrease in follicle stimulating hormone. (9.25±0.93), (10.22±2.31), and (1 l.83J2.14), In Lutcinizing hormone: a non-significant decrease in group 1 (8.64±0.72) and a non-significant increase in group 2 (9.68±1.26 when compared with the control group (9. 11±0.94). It also caused a non-significant increase in prolactin when compared with control group (7.6911.17), (7.42±3.64) and (6.64±2.33). Then a non- significant increase in progesterone compared with control group. (7.66±0.96), (7.19±0.96) and (6.9 1±0.60). It can therefore be concluded that Ocimun, graiissimum has deleterious effect on the fertility hormones of female albino rats.