Assessment of Testosterone Levels and Sperm Motility Variables of Mercury Toxicity Induced Male Albino Rats Treated with Pentaclethra macrophylla Seed (Ugba)

Aim: To assess testosterone levels and sperm motility variables of mercury toxicity induced male Albino Rats treated with Pentaclethra macrophylla seed (Ugba).

Study Design: An experimental study.

Place and Duration of Study: Department of Animal and Environmental Biology Animal House, Rivers State University, Port Harcourt, Nigeria, between January 2019 and January 2021.

Methodology: Thirty-six (36) adult male albino rats weighing approximately 135±1.5g were purchased from University of Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria. They were housed in plastic suspended cages, placed in well-ventilated conditions, and provided with rat diet and water and acclimatize for two weeks. Fresh matured seeds of Pentaclethra macrophylla (African oil bean seed) were sourced locally from markets in Imo state, Nigeria. The washed and sliced seeds were stored at room temperature and allowed to ferment. The fermented seeds were dried, ground and preserved in airtight container in the refrigerator at 40c.The total weight of the powdered seed of Pentaclethra macrophylla produced was 250g Seeds were thoroughly washed with distilled water, cooked for more than 2hours at 1000c. Maceration technique was used to carry out an ethanolic extract of the plant seed. Mercury chloride salt was purchased in Port Harcourt. A standard dose of 3.0mg/kg body weight of mercury chloride obtained from acute toxicity study dose determination was administered to the rats for 30 days after they were divided into six groups of six rats per group. After 30 days, all the animals were weighed, anaesthetized using chloroform. Blood sample was drawn via cardiac puncture and tissue samples of the testis were collected and used for histological analysis. Epididymal sperm number was estimated by crushing excised cauda epididymis in suspension medium. SPSS version 23 was used for statistical analysis and p values less than 0.05 were considered significant.

Results: The results showed that there was a significant reduction (p<0.05) in percentage sperm viability, motility, testosterone levels, sperm count and a significantly elevate abnormal sperm morphology and dead sperm percentage in group 2 animals after induction with varying concentration of mercury compared to that of the control rats, but the former parameters were significantly elevated while there were significant reductions in the latter parameters after treatment with PM (groups 4 and 5).

Conclusion: Induction with mercury caused a reduction in testosterone levels and poor sperm quality index (motility, count & viability), but were significantly improved after treating with PM.