EVALUATION OF THE EFFECTS OF THE AQUEOUS EXTRACT OF EREMOMASTAX SPECIOSA ADMINISTERED DURING GAMETOGENESIS IN THE FEMALE RAT

Background And Aim: Eremomastax speciosa (Hochst) Cufod (Acanthaceae) is a shrub used in traditional medicine to remedy several ailments. The aim of this work was thus to evaluate the reprotoxicity in female rats when the extract is administered during the period of gametogenesis. Materials And Methods: Thirty-six male albino rats were divided into four groups of nine rats each and given the extract at doses of 0, 250, 500 and 1000 mg/kg, respectively, for 60 days followed by a 10 days fertility study by pairing each treated male with an untreated female. Thirty-six other female rats were divided into four groups of nine rats each and given the extract at doses of 0, 250, 500 and 1000 mg/kg and were then crossed each with an untreated male. The effects on fertility parameters, body and organ weights were assessed, as well as biochemical, haematological and histological parameters. In untreated female rats crossed with treated m Results And Conclusion: ales during gametogenesis there was an increase in mating index (from 66.7 % to 88.9 %), increase in percentage of pregnant females (from 83.3% to 100%) and consequent increase in fertility rate from 55.6 % in controls to 66.6-77.8 % in females crossed with extract-treated males. When female rats were given E. speciosa extract during gametogenesis and crossed with untreated males, although copulation rates increased signicantly but gravidity and fertility rates reduced signicantly as evidenced by the signicant decrease in numbers of implantations, corpora lutea and fetuses and live young.