The study was conducted for twelve weeks to investigate the effects of 250 mg/kg body weight of ethanolic leaf-extract of Phyllanthus amarus on the morphology and sperm parameters of the testis. Twenty (20) adult male Wistar rats were categorized into two groups of ten rats each (n=10) with A (control), B (to assess the effects of the extract on testicular morphology and sperm parameters). The body and organ weight of the experimental animals were noted before and at the end of the experiment and the significance of data was analyzed using student t- test (p<0.05). The results revealed no significant difference (p>0.05) in the body and organ weight between the experimental groups and the control. There were significant difference (p<0.05) in the total sperm count, sperm motility and viability in the treatment group compared to control with obvious decrease in all the parameters. The rats treated with ethanolic extract of P.amarus showed various degrees of testicular degeneration compared to the control demonstrating seminiferous tubular lumen with scanty spermatozoa, distorted seminiferous epithelium and arrested differentiation and progression of germ cells into the lumen. The epididymis also showed scanty and moderate clusters of spermatozoa in the lumen with thickened epithelial lining. The findings are consistent with anti-fertility remarks on the effects of P. amarus on testicular morphology and functions.
Keywords: Morphology, P.amarus, Sperm Parameters, Wistar rats, testis
