Effects of Varying Levels of Mucuna Pruriens Extract on Reproductive Performance of West African Dwarf Bucks

摘要

Infertility in farm animals is a major public health concern that manifests as either one or more pathological conditions of either male or female origin. This is often addressed with the use of synthetic hormonal substances which rather than solving the problem also has a negative effect on man due to the consumption of residual hormones. This led to the search for plant products that could replace the synthetic hormones at reduced cost. Ethanolic extracts of Mucuna pruriens were randomly administered subcutaneously to thirty West African Dwarf bucks between 1 to 2 years old in a five treatment trial. The animals in treatment A and B received 0.01ml/kg body weight normal saline and sildenafil-citrate respectively while animals in treatments C, D and E were given 0.01, 0.02 and 0.03ml/kg BW of Mucuna pruriens extract respectively for seven days. The result showed that ethanolic extract of Mucuna pruriens helps to improve libido, reduce blood pressure and increase serum testosterone with optimum performance exhibited at 0.02ml/kg BW of extract administration.