THE EFFECTS OF P-ALAXIN ON FERTILITY AND HEMATOLOGICAL PARAMETERS IN MALE ADULT WISTAR RATS

Abstract

P-Alaxin, is an anti-malarial drug that is highly effective in treating malaria all forms of malarial infection including multi drug resistance malaria in areas of high resistance especially in Africa. It is composed of dihydroartemisinin and piperaquine phosphate. This study investigates the effects of therapeutic dose of P-alaxin on fertility and hematological indices in rats. Fifteen male adult Wistar rats weighing between 150 and 220g were divided into three consisting of 5 rats per group. Normal saline was administered to the control group while the test and recovery groups were given 15.4mg/kg body weight of P-Alaxin orally for three days. The recovery group was allowed to recover for three days from the drug's effect. The animals were anaesthetized using diethyl ether. Blood samples were collected through cardiac puncture. Oral administration of P-alaxin (15.4mg/kg body weight) for three days reduced (p<0.05) significantly the sperm motility, sperm count, viability and testosterone as well as the PCV, Hb, WBC and RBC when compared to the control and there was no significant change in values of  pH of the tests rats' semen. Allowing the rats to recover from the effects of the drug resulted in gradual restoration of sperm parameters and hematological indices under investigation. From the study it can be safely concluded that oral administration of P-Alaxin caused reduction in the hematological and sperm parameters and serum testosterone and could reduce male Wistar rats' fertility and also lead to anemia in rats