Department of Physiology, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti, Nigeria; Department of Physiology, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria; Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of Iba
Oyedeji, K.O., Department of Physiology, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti, Nigeria; Bolarinwa, A.F., Department of Physiology, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria; Adegoke, A.O., Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria
Objective: This study was designed to evaluate the antifertility and teratogenic effect of chromatographic fractions (fractions 1 to 5) of Portulaca oleracea at a dose of 3 mg/kg BW in male and female albino rats. Methods: For male fertility study, 50 days fractions and distilled water (control) treated male rats were cohabitated with untreated female rats. For female fertility and teratogenic study, the fractions were tested at different phases of pregnancy to evaluate its antifertility and teratogenic effects. Data were analysed using ANOVA at p<0.05. Results: Cohabitation of 50 days fraction 1 to fraction 5 treated male rats and untreated female rats for four weeks produced no positive mating, while the cohabitation of the control group male rat with untreated female rats led to positive mating. Treatment of rats from day 1 to 5 of gestation (early pregnancy) with fraction 1 to fraction 5 caused non-significant (p>0.05) changes in the number of implantation sites relative to the control. Treatment of rats from day 6 to 15 of gestation (mid-pregnancy) with fraction 1 to fraction 5 caused no significant (p>0.05) changes in fetal size relative to the control as well as absence of gross malformations and resorption sites in all the treated and control rats. Treatment of rats from day 16 to 20 of gestation (late pregnancy) with fraction 1 to fraction 5 caused no significant (p>0.05) changes in litter size and litter weights relative to their respective controls as well as absence of gross malformations and resorption sites in all the treated and control rats. These findings probably indicate that the chromatographic fractions of Portulaca oleracea have antifertility effects in male albino rats but have no teratogenic and deleterious effects on the fertility of female albino rats.
Portulaca oleracea extract; animal experiment; article; cohabitation; column chromatography; congenital malformation; contraception; controlled study; female; fractionation; male; mating; nonhuman; organogenesis; rat; teratogenesis; thin layer chromatography; third trimester pregnancy; toxicity testing
