HISTOMORPHOLOGICAL EFFECT OF AQUEOUS EXTRACT OFWATER MELON ON THE TESTIS OF ADULT MALE WISTAR RATS

Medicinal plants contain substances that could be used for therapeutic purposes and constitute a significance portion of our daily diet. This study was designed at investigating the effects of aqueous extracts of Citrullus lanatus seed on histomorphology of testis in matured wistar rats. The rats were acclimatized for two weeks, weighed and sorted into five groups (A- E) of five animals in each group. Aqueous extract of Citrullus lanatus was administered orally to each animal in groups B, C and D at the rate of 100mg/kg, 200mg/kg, 300mg/kg, of seed extract and 3ml of water melon juice to group E. Group A served as the control group and was served with water and feed liberally. This administration lasted for 21 days after which the animals were sacrificed by chloroform anaesthesia, the testes carefully removed fixed with Bouin’s fluid and processed to obtain routine paraffin. Histological findings of the testis reveals testicular and leydig cell hyperplasia, interstitial hydrolysis and decrease spermatogenesis that were dose dependent, however group E revealed a normal testicular histoarchitecture. Weight differences showed a non-statistically significant effect on the total body weight. Consumers of this fruit should do that with caution as this research report on the possible antifertility effects of Citrullus lanatus. Further studies on other fertility profile are recommended.