Abstract

Ejeatuluchukwu Obi, Afonne Onyenmechi Johnson, Orish .E. Orisakwe*

The effects of B success, a herbal supplement on the reproductive organs of male albino rats were investigated. The herbal product was given orally to three dose groups of five male rats each, namely 315, 630, 945mg/kg/body weight (b.w) for 90 days and were fed AD LIBITUM with rat chow, the control group received only deionised water. Afterwards, the rats were bled-sacrificed. The testes were excised and weighed, and their protein and DNA determined. Also epididymal sperm count (ESC), testosterone and lead in blood were determined. There was a significant decrease (p≤ 0.05) in absolute and relative weights, DNA and protein levels of the testes, and in ESC and testosterone in all the treated animals when compared with the control. Testicular tissues of all the treated animals showed dose dependent spermatocytic arrest. The present work suggests that the high lead content of B Success herbal supplement may be responsible for the testicular toxicity of this herbal supplement.