Ethanolic Extract of Xylopia aethiopica (African Negro Pepper) Fruit Adversely Perturbed Semen Qualities in Male Wistar Rats

Aim: This study was designed to assess the effect of Xylopia aethiopica fruit on the sperm qualities of male Wistar rats.

Methodology: The fruits of Xylopia aethiopica were air-dried and extracted by Soxhlet extractor using ethanolic as solvent. The median lethal dose (LD50) of the extract was assessed using standard method. Thirty adult Wistar rats were divided into five groups of six rats each. Animals in groups 1, 2, 3, and 4 were treated with 130, 259, 389 and 518 mg/kg body weight of X. aethiopica fruit extract respectively, while those in group 5 received normal animal feeds and water only. The administration was done once daily for 28 days via oral route. At the end of 28 days treatment, animals were sacrificed under ether anaesthesia in a desiccator after an overnight fast. The cauda epididymis were separated from both testes and tinged with 2 mL of normal saline then teased the cauda epididymis of each rat. The suspension was mixed through a metallic net to avoid any other tissue contamination. This suspension was used for the determination of the sperm parameters.

Results: Ethanolic extract of Xylopia aethiopica fruit was observed to significantly perturbed sperm parameters of animals after 28 days of treatment. Sperm count and motility were significantly reduced by Xylopia aethiopica fruit in a dose-dependent manner when compared with those of the control group (P<0.05). Administration of Xylopia aethiopica fruit increased sperm mortality and abnormality when compared with the control animals (P<0.05). Seminal pH was decreased by ethanolic extract of Xylopia aethiopica fruit administration when compared with those in control animals (P<0.05).

Conclusion: The findings of this study revealed that ethanolic extract of Xylopia aethiopica fruit adversely perturbed sperm quality of Wistar rats. This might not automatically translate to same effect in human. However, men interested in child-bearing should minimize its consumption.