Malaria Parasitaemia and Changes in Follicle Stimulating Hormone and Luteinizing Hormone Levels of Adult Mice

Abstract

To understand the treatment of malaria, it is important to understand the effect of the administration of specific anti-malarials on various physiological variables. Current study investigated the effect (s) of the anti-malarial, coartem and co-administration of the antioxidant, Vitamin E on the levels of Luteinising and Follicle Stimulating Hormones [LH and FSH] of malaria parasite infected mice. Twenty-eight (28) adult mice were obtained, acclimatized for two (2) weeks and randomly selected into four (4) groups of seven (7) rats per group. Group 1 (Control) received standard mice diet and water ad libitum, while group 2 mice were infected with malaria (Plasmodium berghei) and left untreated. Groups 3 and 4 were inoculated with malaria (Plasmodium berghei); then treated with coartem and coartem + vitamin E respectively. After three (3) weeks of administration of test substance, the mice blood samples were obtained from mice (for each group) and assayed for serum FSH and LH levels. Statistical comparison was then conducted (using the student t-test) against those of control group to ascertain the effects of the changes due to coartem and/or antioxidant vitamin E co-administration to plasmodium berghei infected mice. Study found a statistically significant increase in serum LH levels of male mice after inoculation with plasmodium berghei. This decrease was noticed more even with coartem and antioxidant vitamin E co-administration, implicative of a possible effect in fecundity levels of infected male mice. The level of FSH was significantly increased in infected mice, but however showed a reversal following treatment with coartem and/or antioxidant vitamin E. The effects on reproductive hormones seen here may mirror the effects in man. More studies are needed to elucidate that.