Effects of crude powder and ethanolic extract of Citrullus lanatus seeds on haemogram, spermiogram, testicular and epididymal histology of forty-eight male wistar rats were investigated following phytochemical analysis. The rats, divided into three test groups (A, B and C; n=16) were administered distilled water (Group A), ground powder (Groups B; 200mg/kg) and ethanol extract of Citrullus lanatus seed (Group C; 200mg/kg) for 28 days. Blood samples were collected from all rats after expiration of extract administration for haemogram. Subsequently, four rats from each group were sacrificed weekly post treatment for a period of four weeks for semen analysis and histology.
Phytochemical analysis revealed alkaloids, flavonoids, saponins, anthraquinones, terpenoids, and cardiac glycosides. Haematological parameters were not significantly different across the groups.
Mean sperm motility of the control group was significantly (p
Key words: Citrullus lanatus, crude powder, ethanolic, semen, haemogram
|
