Abstract

Effect of Contractile Fraction of Vernonia amygdalina.Del Ethanolic Extract on the Profile of LH and FSH in Female Albino Wistar Rats

Igwe Kalu Kalu, Okafor Polycarp N,Ijeh Ifeoma Irene

AIMS: To determine the action of contractile fraction of Vernonia amygdalina on serum FSH and LH in female albino Winstar rats. Methodology: Ethanolic crude extract of Vernonia amygdalina was fractionated into six (F1, F2, F3, F4, F5, and F6). The different fractions were subjected to in vitro screening to provide preliminary observations required to select the crude plant extract with best contractile properties for further investigations. Using physiograph uterine tissue contractile amplitudes were determined at 0.25 mg/ml, 0.3 mg/ml, 0.7 mg/ml, 1.0mg/ml, 1.25mg/ml and 1.5mg/ml for the different fractions. Fraction F5 had the best contractile response on isolated uterine tissue in the presence of agonist ACh. F5 was used for further studies on FSH and LH. Adult female albino Wistar rats grouped into five (I, II, III, IV, V) were used for the hormonal study. Group I served as negative control and was administered 20% dimethyl sulphoxide (DMSO) while groups II, III, and IV served as test groups and were administered 40mg/kg, 80mg/kg and 120mg/kg body weight of F5 respectively. Group V was oxytocin treated group which served as positive control and was administered 0.1 µg of oxytocin intra-peritopeally. RESULTS: The results indicated a dose dependent significant (P<0.05) decrease in serum luteinizing hormone concentration in groups II to IV (1.73±0.18 mIU/ml, 1.46±0.03 mIU/ml and 1.2±0.05 mIU/ml) when compared to the negative control (1.23±0.03 mIU/ml), and in the serum concentration of follicle stimulating hormone (0.4±0.01 mIU/ml, 0.31±0.01 mIU/ml and 0.2±0.01 mIU/ml), when compared to the negative control (0.7±0.05 mIU/ml) CONCLUSION: The extract decreased the serum concentration of both LH and FSH in a dose dependant manner

Published Date: 2016-10-02;