FERTILITY-ENHANCING POTENTIALS OF IPOMOEA BATATAS (SWEET POTATO) IN MALE ALBINO WISTAR RATS
*Ologhaguo Macstephen Adienbo and Chioma Obinuchi Wodu
ABSTRACT
This work is aimed at investigating the effects of Ipomoea batatas on fertility in male albino wistar rats. Fourteen adult male wistar rats weighing between 160g-200g were randomly assigned into two groups of 7 rats each. Group A (control) received 200g of animal feed per day, while Group B (Test group) received 120g animal feed thoroughly mixed with 80g dried ground Ipomoea batatas root tuber particles, daily for 60 days. The weights of the animals were taken weekly. Fertility test was done by the natural mating method by cohabiting two
mature fertile female rats with each male rat during the last ten days of treatment. The females were sacrificed after 7 days of separation from the males, and fertility parameters determined. On the 61st day, the male rats from each group were sacrificed and the testis and epididymis excised and weighed. Semen from the epididymis was analysed for sperm characteristics. The results in test group showed significant (P<0.05) increase in the following: weight of testis and epididymis, sperm motility, sperm count and sperm viability; with an insignificant (P>0.05) reduction in sperm abnormality. Also, there was a significant (P<0.05) increase in the number of pregnant female rats in test group, corresponding to 42.86% increase in fertility rate, compared to the control animals. It was concluded that prolong consumption of Ipomoea batatas enhances fertility in male wistar rats by improving the sperm quality.
Keywords: Sweet Potato, Ipomoea batatas, Sperm Parameter, fertility.
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