Peperomia pellucida (L.) Kunth Piperaceae has the Expected Reproductive Toxicity of Antimalarial Drugs?

Abstract

In folklore medicine, Peperomia pellucida (L.) Kunth (Piperaceae), has demonstrated a good activity in malaria treatment and this has also been proven pharmacologically. Most antimalarial agents have demonstrated negative effects on spermatogenesis. For effective development and formulation of this plant resource into a dosage form that will be well tolerated by humans, the leaf extract of the plant was therefore evaluated for reproductive toxicity associated with antimalarial drugs in male Wistar rats at 250, 500 and 1000mgkg-1 doses for it effect on the sperm characteristics as well as the histology of the testes. Rats, divided into three groups (n=6) administered with 250, 500 and 1000mgkg-1 doses of the extract and a fourth one which was the control (administered with distilled water), were used for a period of twenty days following standard procedure. The result indicated, although the normal sperm morphology was not significantly affected, a significant reduction of sperm count and active motility by 93 and 71 (p<0.05) observed at 1000 mg/kg and interstitial necrosis of the testes at 500 which became severe at 1000 mg/kg. The extract was however safe at 250 mg/kg. The usual spermatotoxicty of antimalarials was therefore indicated at 500 and 1000mg/kg. The study has proven that P. pellucida leaf educed the usual antimalarial spermatotoxicity.