Asian Journal of Microbiology, Biotechnology & Environmental Sciences Paper

EFFECT OF HOT AQUEOUS AND ETHANOL EXTRACTS OF CITRUS LIMON (L.) BURM SEEDS ON SOME HORMONAL LEVELS AND FERTILITY OF FEMALE ALBINO RATS

ARSHAD NOORI GHANI AL-DUJAILI, KHAMA’AL HUSSEIN ABOOD AL-KHAFAJI AND AHMAD ABEIS MOTAR AL-SULTANEE

Abstract

This study was conducted in animals and plants laboratories and animal houses of the Department of Biology at the Faculty of Science / University of Kufa for the period from 25/09/2013 to 20/3/2014 to investigate the effect of hot aqueous and ethanol alcohol extracts of Citrus limon L. Burm seeds on some hormonal levels and fertility in female albino rats (Ratus ratus L.). In this study 60 rats were used aged 8 to 12 weeks and daily dosage orally by concentrations (250, 500) mg/kg of body weight of both extracts for two periods (10, 20) day was given. The current study revealed the occurrence of a significant decrease (p <0.05) in the level of each of follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH) and significant increase (p <0.05) in the level of estradiol hormone (E2) for both concentrations and dosing periods and two extracts compared with the control group. The concentration 500 mg/kg of body weight and dosing period 20 day of ethanol alcohol extract showed more significant effect (p <0.05) on all hormonal levels in current study compared with the concentration 250 mg/kg of body weight and dosing period 10 day of same extract and also with two concentrations 500 and 250 mg/kg of body weight and two dosing periods 10 and 20 day of hot aqueous extract of lemon seeds. The fertility test conducted on female rats treated by concentration 500 mg/kg of body weight for 20 days of both extracts did not show sperms in vaginal smears obtained from them only after a period of time in addition to that it suffered from the delay of pregnancy through daily monitoring for a period of 40 days thus, a decrease occurred in both the percentage of pregnancy and the numbers of fetuses in treated female compared with control group for both concentrations. The ethanol extract of the plant lemon seeds was the most efficient as antifertility in female rats compared hot aqueous extract.