Assessment of Some Reproductive Hormones in Acute Lead-Acetate-Induced toxicity in Male and Female Albino Rats Treated Hypoestes rosea Leaf

Aim: To assess the levels of some gonadal hormones in lead-acetate-induced Albino Rats treated with Hypoestes rosea Leaf.

Study design: Experimental study.

Place and Duration of Study: Department of Pharmacology, University of Port Harcourt and Department of Medical Laboratory Science, Rivers State University, Port Harcourt, between October, 2019 and March, 2020.

Methodology: A total of 140 albino Wistar rats were used for this study. The animals were divided into 26 groups (6 post-treatment and 6 pre-treatment groups for female rats and the same number for male rats and 2 groups as male and female controls). Each group contained 5 rats for both sexes in both pre- and post-treatments groups, except the positive control groups that had 10 animals for both sexes. The study was carried out for 21 days. The negative control groups received rat feed only, extract control (EC) group received 100mg/kg bwt/day for 21 days, positive control (PC) group received 60mg/kg b.wt per day of lead acetate for 7 days. The other 3 groups received 100mgkg, 200mg/kg and 300mg/kg b.wt respectively for 14 days either as pre-treatment or post treatment, for both sexes of the albino rats. At the end of the experimental periods, the rats were sacrificed under chloroform anesthesia and samples were taken through the jugular vein. Reproductive hormone levels were estimated using the Enzyme linked immunosorbent assay methods. Statistical analysis was done using Statistical Analysis System (SAS), STAT 15.1 and p values less than 0.05 were considered statistically significant.

Results: Results showed lead acetate had significant negative effect (p<0.05) on most reproductive hormones, except LH and TSH (p>0.05). The plant in a dose dependent pattern was able to significantly (p<0.05), reverse the effect of lead acetate in the Post treatment phase and also protect the endocrine system from the deleterious effect of lead acetate in the pre-treatment phase. Testosterone was significantly reduced (p<0.05) in all the treatment groups that had the extract.

Conclusion: Our study showed that dose dependent AEHR extract significantly reduced the impact of lead intoxication on some hormones.