Evaluation of selected locally brewed alcoholic beverages on the serum hormonal profile of albino rats

Locally brewed alcoholic beverages have become part of the socio-economic life of the Nigerian and West African communities.  The negative effect of the use of the beverages on both health, economic and social life is worth exploring amidst the increasing challenges of poverty, inadequate health facilities, lack of basic social amenities amongst many others. This study aimed at evaluating the effect of some selected locally brewed Nigerian alcoholic beverage on the hormonal profile of male and female albino rats. A total of 60 screened rats (spaque Dawley strain) of body weight 180-200g and comprising 30 males and females each were randomly divided into five groups of six animals of same sex per cage and administered with various doses of local alcoholic beverages - goskolo, burukutu, pito and ogogoro per oral for a period of 21 days.  Serum hormonal assays were carried out with the use of the respective EIA Kit, ELISA microwells and microplate immunoassay. Results revealed significant decrease (p < 0.05) in the sex hormones (estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone) in all the male treated with these alcoholic beverages, while LH and FSH were not significantly affected. The toxicological evaluation of traditional alcoholic beverages pito, burukutu, ogogorogo and goskolo revealed significant decrease in the sex hormonal profile of male and female albino rats. This buttressed the toxicological effect by way of decrease in the activity of the sex hormones necessary for fertility and reproduction the rats.