Effect of Aqueous Garlic Extract on Reproductive Health and Blood Parameters in Male Albino Rats Exposed to Monosodium Glutamate
Charles Nyarko Osei
Department of Biological Sciences Education, Akenten Appiah-Menka University of Skills Training and Entrepreneurial Development, Ghana.
Holy Kwabla Zanu *
Department of Animal Science Education, Akenten Appiah-Menka University of Skills Training and Entrepreneurial Development, Ghana.
Michael Addo Boakye
Department of Biological Sciences Education, Akenten Appiah-Menka University of Skills Training and Entrepreneurial Development, Ghana.
Papa Kofi Amissah-Reynolds
Department of Biological Sciences Education, Akenten Appiah-Menka University of Skills Training and Entrepreneurial Development, Ghana.
Emmanuel Effah-Yeboah
Department of Biological Sciences Education, Akenten Appiah-Menka University of Skills Training and Entrepreneurial Development, Ghana.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Aim: To evaluate the effect of varying doses of aqueous garlic extract on the reproductive function and haematology of male Albino rats exposed to monosodium glutamate.
Study Design: A Completely randomized design was used for the study.
Place and Duration of Study: Animal Science department of Akenten Appiah-Menka University of Skills Training and Entrepreneurial Development. The study lasted for 21 days.
Methods: Twenty-five rats were divided into five groups, with five rats in each group. Treatment 1 received normal saline (control), Treatment 2 received 120 mg/kg BW of MSG, and Treatments 3, 4, and 5 received 120 mg/kg BW of MSG combined with 500 mg/kg BW, 750 mg/kg BW, and 1000 mg/kg BW of AGE, respectively. All treatments were administered orally for 21 days.
Results: The experiment showed no significant difference in sperm counts across treatments (P > .05). Sperm motility improved in treatments 4 and 5 (P < .01), while immotile sperm were high in treatment 2. Treatments 3, 4, and 5 exhibited better sperm morphology. Testes weights were highest (P < .01). In treatment 5. Treatment 2 showed reduced WBC, RBC, and P-LCR levels but increased GRA levels compared to the control. Seminiferous tubule deformities were notable in treatment 2 and moderate in treatments 3 and 4, whereas treatment 5 showed a reduction in seminiferous tubule size.
Conclusions: The research findings suggest that garlic has a dose-dependent impact on mitigating the negative effect of MSG on the reproductive function and haematology of male Albino rats.
Keywords: Infertility, haematology, sperm parameters, seminiferous tubules, histology, sperm morphology