Perturbation of Sex Hormones by Potassium Bromate and Preventive Effect of African Locust Bean (Parkia biglobosa) Seed

Background: African locust bean is used for medicinal purposes in African countries for the treatment of various diseases. However, no study has reported its ameliorative effect on sex hormones perturbations. This study, therefore, sought to investigate its preventive effect against potassium bromate-induced perturbation of sex hormones.

Methodology: African locust bean was extracted with soxhlet extractor with ethanol as the solvent. Twenty-four adult male Wistar rats were acclimatized under laboratory conditions and were randomly grouped into A, B, C and D. Group A was given distilled water orally. Animals in groups B, C and D were administered 100 mg/kg body weight of potassium bromate, but groups C and D were also treated with 100 and 200 mg/kg body weight of African locust bean respectively. Both potassium bromate and African locust bean were freshly prepared on daily basis and administered to rats by oral gavage. After 28 days of treatment, the animals were sacrificed under mild diethyl ether anaesthetization 24 hours after cessation of last treatment and blood was collected through cardiac puncture.

Results: Analyses showed that KBrO3 significantly reduced the levels of luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) and testosterone but elevated the levels of prolactin and estradiol when compared with those in the control group. However, groups treated with 100 and 200 mg/kg body weight of African locust bean in conjunction with KBrO3 resisted these perturbations.

Conclusion: In this study potassium bromate increased the levels of estradiol which has been known to inhibit sex hormones. This effect of estradiol on sex hormones; LH, FSH and testosterone is further evidenced by the results of this study. The potential benefit of the African locust bean in the amelioration of perturbation of sex hormones is brought to the fore by the findings of this research.