ANTIFERTILITY EFFECT OF CHRONICALLY ADMINISTERED MALVISCUS-CONZATTII FLOWER EXTRACT ON FERTILITY OF MALE-RATS

Quantitative evaluation of different varieties of germ cells at stage VII of the cycle, namely type A spermatogonia, pre-leptotene spermatocytes, mid-pachytene spermatocytes, step 7 and step 19 spermatids, along with radio-immunoassay of serum gonadotrophins (LH and FSH), testosterone and testicular testosterone were performed in rats of Wistar strain following treatment with methanolic extract of flowers of Malvaviscus conzattii (MVC) at a dose level of 800 mg/kg b.w. for 30 consecutive days. The treatment period just exceeds two cycles of the seminiferous epithelium of the Wistar strain rats (one cycle is 13.2 days). Reduction of step 7 and 19 spermatids at stage VII were observed. Significant reduction in serum concentration of LH and testosterone were observed three and four weeks after treatment. Testicular testosterone was also reduced. No distinct change in serum FSH concentration was recorded. The results indicate that the extract may have an inhibitory influence on gonadotrophin release which may be held responsible for the decline in testosterone production, leading to change in spermatogenesis caused by the MVC extract. Replacement with hCG along with MVC prevented degeneration of step 7 and step 19 spermatids, and enhanced testosterone production support the same idea.