Journal of Basic and Applied Research International

This study investigated the effect of watermelon (Citrillus lanatus) seed and caffeine on reproductive hormones and ovarian histology of lead-acetate poisoned female rats. Lead-Acetate was administered at a single dose of 2.25 mgkg^-1 body weight to the experimental animals. A dose of either 100 and 200 mgkg^-1 Citrillus lanatus or 100 mgkg^-1 caffeine or both was administered daily to the experimental rats for three weeks, after which results were compared with a normal control group (I) and a positive control group (II). The level of Luteinizing hormone, follicle stimulating hormone, estrogen and progesterone significantly (p<0.05) increased in plasma of experimental animals treated with Citrillus lanatus seed extract and caffeine compared to group II. The histological sections of ovary in group II, III (treated with 100 mgkg^-1 C. lanatus), V (treated with 50 mgkg^-1 caffeine and 100 mgkg^-1 C. lanatus) and VI (treated with 100 mgkg^-1 caffeine and 200 mgkg^-1 C. lanatus) exhibited degenerative distortions of the architectural frameworks of the ovary except for group IV (treated with 200 mgkg^-1 C. lanatus). This present study showed that administration of hydromethanolic fraction of             Citrillus lanatus seed extract at 200 mgkg^-1 improved the level of reproductive hormones and ovarian histology of lead-acetate poisoned female rats.