Effect of Solanum melongena (Garden Egg) Ethanolic Extract on Reproductive Hormones, Semen Quality, and Testicular Histology in Adult Male Wistar Rats

Abstract

Background: The male reproductive characteristics like sperm count and sperm motility play an important role in male fertility. Some fruits and vegetables consumed help improve male reproductive characteristics and they include; cucumber, garden egg, guava, bell peppers, kiwis, bananas (medium size) and also oranges. Male infertility is a condition that affects millions of men worldwide, where a man has a low sperm count or abnormal sperm function, which makes it difficult for him to impregnate a woman. This study seeks to investigate the effect of Solanummelongena (Garden Egg) on Male Reproductive Parameters in Adult Male Wistar Rat. Twelve (12) male rats were used for the present study. Animals were grouped into control, low and high dose garden egg. The extract was administered orally for a duration of 21 days. Twenty-four (24) hours after the last day administration, animals were sacrificed. The testes and epididymis were harvested and used for histological studies; semen was collected for semen analysis. Data were expressed as mean ± SEM. The mean difference between the tested groups and the control was tested using a one-way ANOVA. Values were considered statistically significant when P is ≤ 0.05. Sperm count (control: 466±86.18; Low dose: 400 ±115.17; High dose: 383.33±123.13); Viability(control: 78.33±2.06; Low dose: 68.33±4.36; High dose: 75±2.89); Testosterone (Control: 1.16 ± 0.06; low dose: 1.32 ± 0.09; high dose: 1.43 ± 0.18); FSH  (Control: 0.63 ± 0.05; low dose: 1.06 ± 0.06; high dose: 0.95 ± 0.04); LH  (Control: 0.70 ± 0.05; low dose: 1.22 ± 0.04; high dose: 1.20 ± 0.02). Consumption of ethanolic extract of garden egg significantly reduced sperm count, viability and morphology, it may likely decrease the chances of in experimental animals.