Effect of Erytherina senegalensis on the oestrogen level and histology of ovary of an adult female albino wistar rats

Abstract

Erytherina senegalensis are used in soups administered after delivery, also in Nigeria; it is given to women during labour to ease pain, for treatment of malaria, gastrointestinal disorders, fever, dizziness, secondary sterility, diarrhoea, jaundice, nose bleeding, pain, bronchial infection, coughs, throat inflammation and administered for venereal diseases. In view of its usage, the study sought to investigate the effect of Erytherina senegalensis leaf extract on the oestrogen level and the histology of the ovary of albino wistar rat. Fresh mature leaf samples of E. senegalensis were collected, ethanolic extract was prepared and the effect of sub-chronic oral administration of the leaf extract of E. senegalensis was studied using twenty-five female albino wistar rats. The oral administration of the leaf extract was done three times per week, for 60 days at doses of 2000 mg/kg for group 1, 4000 mg/kg for group 2, 6000 mg/kg for group 3, 8000 mg/kg body weight for group 4 and group 5 is the control group, received distilled water and food alone. The rats were anaesthetised by chloroform in a close jar and blood samples were for hormonal test, experimental rats were sacrificed by cervical dislocation and the ovary harvested. There was a dose dependent increase in the level of oestrogen across the groups and there was no significant alteration on the histology of the ovary across the groups. Oestrogen level and histology architecture reveals the leaf extract didn't show any sign of toxicity on the hormone and organ of the study, this may suggest that the extract may be used as female hormonal supplement and may not be toxic when administered orally.