Morphometrical and Histological Analyses of the Epithelial Lining of Male Reproductive System in Wistar Rats Following Administration of Neem Leaves Extract

Background: Neem leaves (Azadirachta indica L.) have been used for many therapeutic purposes and medicinal applications. The extract of this plant has been used in both male and female genders as a traditional agent to prevent early pregnancy. In this study, the effect of this extract was investigated histologically and morphometrically on the germinal epithelia of the seminiferous tubules, epididymis and secretory epithelia of rats’ prostate glands. Methods: Twenty male albino rats were divided into four groups of five each and administered the extract at a concentration of zero, 100, 200 or 400 mg/kg of the body weight for 50 consecutive days. These rats were sacrificed and the male reproductive organs were removed, weighed and processed for routine histological examinations. The micrographs were analyzed and the structural changes in the epithelial lining and morphometric analyses were recorded, which included measuring the epithelial thickness in the seminiferous tubules, epididymis and secretory prostatic epithelia. Results: The extract was found to reduce the rats’ weight; decreased both the weight and dimension of the testes; reduced the number of germinal epithelial lining cells in the seminiferous tubules of the testes, the epididymal and prostatic secretory epithelial cells. Conclusions: The histological alterations were most significant in response to the treatment with the extract at 200mg/kg of the rats with the greatest damages observed in the epithelial lining. The deleterious effects of the extract were found to be dose-dependent and this corroborates the use of this extract as a contraceptive in animal models, and potentially in humans.