Abstract

THE IMPACT OF MIMOSA PUDICA ON THE HISTOARCHITECTURE OF HYPOTHALAMIC-PITUITARY-TESTICULAR AXIS IN CADMIUM TREATED RATS

*Edem Edem Ekpenyong, Enye Linus Anderson, Towobola Adewale Abdullateef, Akingbade Adebanji Modupe, Kunlere Oladunni Eunice

ABSTRACT

Background: Cadmium is a known environmental and industrial pollutant with an enormous neuroendocrine disrupting potential. Mimosa pudica Linn is a creeping annual or perennial herb known to possess antiasthmatic, antiepileptic, antitumour, aphrodisiac, analgesic, antidepressant properties and a strong radical scavenging activity. This research was aimed at investigating the impact of Mimosa pudica on the histoarchitectural integrity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-testicular axis in cadmium-treated rats. Materials and Methods: Twenty five mature wistar rats (Rattus rattus norvegicus) were employed in the study. These animals were divided into five groups - 5 Rats/Group; Control, Cadmium Toxicity, Mimosa pudica Extract, Protection and Therapeutic Groups. The Control Group was orally administrated with distilled water. Result: Toxicity was achieved with 1.2mg/kg body weight for forty days with apparent histological abnormalities and alterations to the axis components. Administration of Mimosa pudica (200mg/kg) body weight with cadmium in both the Protection and Therapeutic Groups showed remarkable histological improvements and markedly reduced tissue damage when compared with Cadmium Toxicity Group. Conclusion: Results of this study demonstrate that Mimosa pudica possesses protective, therapeutic as well as restorative capacity on the histoarchitecture of hypothalamic-pituitary-testicular axis components in cadmium-treated rats.

Keywords: Cadmium, Mimosa pudica, histoarchitecture, hypothalamic-pituitary-testicular axis, toxicity.