Histological Assessment of the Testes and Hormonal Profile of Adult Male Albino Wistar Rats Following Oral Administration of Myristica Fragrans (Nutmeg)
Chapter One
Objectives of the Study
To determine the effect of oral Administration of
- Nutmeg on the histology of the testis of adult male albino Wistar rat.
- To determine the effect of oral administration of nutmeg on the body weight of adult male albino Wistar rats.
- To determine the effect of oral administration of nutmeg on hormonal assay (serum Testosterone) of adult male albino Wistar rats.
CHAPTER TWO
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
Introduction
This chapter presents the review of related literature on histological assessment of the testes and hormonal profile of adult male albino wistar rats following oral administration of myristica fragrans (nutmeg). Views and opinions of other authors is presented as follows.
Origins
In 18th century Europe, wild brown rats ran rampant and this infestation fueled the industry of rat-catching. Rat-catchers would not only make money by trapping the rodents, but also by selling them for food or, more commonly, for rat-baiting.
Rat-baiting was a popular sport, which involved filling a pit with rats and timing how long it took for a terrier to kill them all. Over time, breeding the rats for these contests may have produced variations in color, notably the albino and hooded varieties. The first time one of these albino mutants was brought into a laboratory for a study was in 1828 for an experiment on fasting. Over the next 30 years, rats were used for several more experiments and eventually the laboratory rat became the first animal domesticated for purely scientific reasons (Krinke et al; 2000).
In Japan, there was a widespread practice of keeping rats as a domesticated pet during the Edo period and in the 18th century guidebooks on keeping domestic rats were published by Youso Tamanokakehashi (1775) and Chingan Sodategusa (1787). Genetic analysis of 117 albino rat strains collected from all parts of the world carried out by a team led by Takashi Kuramoto at Kyoto University in 2012 showed that the albino rats descended from hooded rats and all the albino rats descended from a single ancestor (Kuramoto, 2012). As there is evidence that the hooded rat was known as the “Japanese rat” in the early 20th century, Kuramoto concluded that one or more Japanese hooded rats might have been brought to Europe or the Americas and an albino rat that emerged as a product of the breeding of these hooded rats was the common ancestor of all the albino laboratory rats in use today (Kuramoto, 2012).
Rats
Rats are various medium-sized, long-tailed rodents. Species of rats are found throughout the order Rodentia, but stereotypical rats are found in the genus Rattus. Other rat genera include Neotoma (pack rats), Bandicota (bandicoot rats) and Dipodomys (kangaroo rats).
CHAPTER THREE
EXPERIMENTAL SECTION/MATERIALS AND METHODS
Materials and Methods
Nutmeg seed was obtained from Itam Market, Itu Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. It was identified by a plant taxonomist in the Department of Botany and Ecological Studies, Faculty of Science, University of Uyo, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria and a voucher specimen deposited at the herbarium of the same department. Herbarium No: Oke, UUH 3726 (Malaysia).
The Nutmeg seeds were ground into powder at the Department of Pharmacognosy and Natural Medicines, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Uyo, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. Out of the total gram of ground nutmeg seed obtained, a given gram was subjected phytochemical analysis to determine its phytochemical properties. The method of Odebiyi and Sofowora was employed in the analysis (Irobi & Daramola, 1993).
Thirty adult male albino wister rats weighing between 180 g to 200 g were used for the study. The rats were purchased from the animal house of the Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Uyo, Nigeria, and were fed standard growers mash feed, produced by grand cereals limited, Nigeria The rats were divided into six equal groups, namely A,B,C,D,E and F.
CHAPTER FOUR
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Results
There was increase in body weight of the control group (group A), which is directly proportional to the number weeks involved in the research. However, in the test groups, B to F, the weight did not increase proportionally with the number of weeks rats were fed; instead, there was fluctuating increase and decrease in their body weight, as shown in table-2.
CHAPTER FIVE
CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Conclusion
Consumption of nutmeg in high doses is injurious to the testes. No doubt nutmeg seed is very important and useful in the preparation of some foods, confectionaries and medicinal drugs; the findings suggest that it should be used in moderation and sparingly.
Recommendations
- The actual mechanism by which nutmeg induced cellular degeneration observed in this experiment needs further investigation.
- More research works involving the application of immunohistochemistry and stereology should be carried out on these findings to better understand and appreciate the study.
REFERENCES
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- Krinke, G. J; Bullock, G. R. and Krinke, G. (2000). “History, Strains and Models”. The Laboratory Rat (Handbook of Experimental Animals). Academic Press. pp. 3–16.
