ABSTRACT
Reproductive disorder is a significant clinical issue influencing individuals therapeutically and psychologically. Many plant extracts have been utilised as fertility agent. Cola nitida is a plant native to tropical West Africa and is used ethnomedicinally for fertility enhancement and anti-infective agents. This study investigates the phytochemical composition, antioxidant and reproductive effect of C. nitida leaf extracts on female albino rats.
The leaves of C. nitida were collected, shade-dried and reduced to fine particles using a mechanical blender. The powdered sample (1 kg) was extracted using n-hexane, ethylacetate and methanol successively. Phytochemical, proximate, antioxidant studies, heavy metal and mineral analysis were done utilizing standard methods. The methanol extract was utilized for biological evaluation of reproductive effect on female albino rat at doses of 100 mg/kg, 200 mg/kg and 400 mg/kg daily for 14 days. Specific hormonal assay kits and ultraviolet-visible (UV) spectrophotometry method were utilized to determine serum oestrogen, follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH) and progesterone concentration by comparing with reference standards. Phyto-compounds were identified in extracts utilizing Gas chromatography - mass spectrometry (GC - MS).
Phytochemical test showed the presence of carbohydrates, tannins, saponins, amino acids, flavonoids, glycosides, terpenoids, fixed oils and fats. Proximate analysis revealed moisture level of 6.76 ± 0.34%, total ash content of 5.66 ± 0.26%, and carbohydrate content of 40.57 ± 1.30%. Elemental analysis showed the absence of cadmium and nickel, manganese concentration of 142.00 ± 3.43 ppm and zinc concentration of 42.00 ± 1.01 ppm . Antioxidant assay showed methanol extracts possess the highest antioxidant property with total flavonoids content of 2.42 ± 0.05 mgCE/g, total phenols content of 1.18 ± 0.14 mgGAE/g and DPPH scavenging activity of 80.45 ± 0.70%. The methanol leaf extracts significantly (P<0.05) increased serum FSH, LH and corpus luteum production at 200 mg/kg dose. GC-MS identified compounds were mainly alkanes, alcohols, fatty acids and esters. The leaves of C. nitida contain bioactive compounds which possess antioxidant properties and significant fertility enhancing activity.
This study therefore provides scientific justification of the ethnomedicinal utilisation of C. nitida leaf for the management of reproductive disorders.
