Journal of International Research in Medical and Pharmaceutical Sciences

Infertility is a major health problem in both the developed and developing world, leading to a constant need for specialist investigation and treatment in order to conceive. The increase in the number of people diagnosed with diabetes at a young age has coincided with worldwide concerns over the fertility status of these individuals. This is because diabetes mellitus directly and indirectly affects the fertility of couples. This work aims to evaluate the effects of an aqueous extract of Azanza garckeana on diabetes-related fertility problems in alloxan-induced albino Wistar rats. Phytochemical screening was carried out on the aqueous extract. Acute and subacute toxicity tests were also conducted using the extract in albino Wistar rats. Biochemical parameters and indices of fertility were also determined. Histological analyses of the liver and kidney of the rats were performed. These four tests were carried out to monitor the toxicity of the aqueous extract and its anti-infertility effects in alloxan-induced albino Wistar rats. The techniques applied included Lorke’s method for acute and subacute toxicity testing, the strip method for glucose testing, the ELISA technique for hormonal assays, and the Haematoxylin and Eosin (H&E) staining technique for histopathological studies. Results of the phytochemical screening of the extract revealed the presence of alkaloids, tannins, saponins, carbohydrate and flavonoids; the acute toxicity test of the extract showed no morbidity at the six (6) different concentrations (10, 100, 1000, 1600, 2900 and 5000) mg/kg body weight used after 24 hours. The biochemical and histological analyses for the subacute toxicity test showed that there was no significant change in the selected biomarkers (protein, albumin, urea, creatinine, ALT, AST and ALP) when compared with the normal control, except for creatinine, for which a significant decrease was observed at p<0.05, and the liver enzymes (ALT, AST and ALP), for which a significant increase was also observed at the same p value. The histopathological analysis of the liver and kidney of the rats also confirmed the biochemical findings, except for the groups that received 10mg/kg and 5000mg/kg body weight, in which inflammation and congested renal tissues with normal liver tissues were observed, respectively, suggesting that the aqueous extract is minimally safe for the rats and that further studies should be conducted to confirm the safety status of the extract. The hormonal assay results (progesterone, follicle-stimulating hormone, thyrotropin, luteinising hormone, estradiol, testosterone and gonadotropin-releasing hormone) of the male and female rats after induction of diabetes revealed that treatment with different doses of Azanza garckeana extract (1000mg/kg and 2000mg/kg), metformin and Clomid significantly corrected the hormone imbalance induced by diabetes when compared with the negative control at the following p values (p<0.05; p<0.01; p<0.001; and p<0.0001). The results also revealed that, when compared with the normal control, Clomid exhibited a greater effect, followed by metformin and Azanza garckeana extract (2000mg/kg). However, the histopathology results of the liver and kidneys of the negative control and all treated rats revealed adverse effects with features of hepatic and renal injuries compared with the normal control, which showed normal liver tissue and normal renal parenchyma, with kidney cells containing adequate glomeruli and renal tubules, respectively. In conclusion, the findings of this study indicate that the aqueous fruit extract of Azanza garckeana can be used to manage diabetes-related fertility hormonal imbalance and that the corrective effect is dose-dependent.