Effects Of Aqueous Root Extract Of Sphenocentrumjollyanumon Some Female Fertility Hormones In Female Wistar Albino Rats:- Nnabugwu, Felicity C

ABSTRACT Sphenocentrum jollyanum is a medicinal plant known for its use in the management of diabetes, obesity, malaria, etc in folklore. 1 here is however, no information on its effect on female fertility hormones production. This study was therefore designed to investigate the effects of the aqueous extract of the root of this plant on some fertility hormones in female Wistar albino rats. The animal was divided into two groups 1 and 2 representing the control group and the group treated with extract respectively. The extract was administered orally for 14 days at the end of which the animals were sacrificed and blood collected for the assay. The serum level of estradiol, progesterone, follicle stimulating hormone, luteinizing hormone and prolactin were determined using enzymelinked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) technique. Data from the study were analysed using ANOVA at 95% confidence level. Results showed that administration of aqueous extract of root of Sphenocentrum jollyanum caused non-significant (p>0.05) decrease in estradiol concentration in the treated group (7.97±0.71) when compared to the control (8.52±0.36). The levels of progesterone, follicle stimulating hormone, luteinizing hormone and prolactin significantly (p<0.05) decreased when compared to the control. The findings in this study have important implications for female contraceptive development and for treatment ofhyperprolactinemia.