Effects of Melatonin and Ethanolic Extract of Cannabis Sativa leaves on Sexual Behaviour Parameters of Female Wistar Rats
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Date
2020
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Nigerian society for experimental biology
Abstract
: Cannabis is the most commonly abused illicit drugs with medicinal values worldwide. However, there
have neither been studies to explain the contribution of oxidative stress on cannabis-related female gonadotoxicity
nor the possible ameliorative potential of melatonin on gonadotoxicity in females consuming cannabis. This study
investigated the ameliorative property of melatonin on gonadotoxic effects of cannabis sativa in female rats.
Twenty female rats (156g ± 1.05) and four male rats (192g ± 1.42) were assigned into four groups of six animals
each (female to male ratio, 5:1), such that the rats in groups I, II, III and IV received orally 1mL of distilled water,
2mg/kg of ethanolic extract of cannabis sativa (EECS), 2mg/kg of EECS plus 4mg/kg of melatonin and 4mg/kg of
melatonin, respectively. The female sexual behaviour parameters were monitored on days 7 and 14 respectively.
Gonadotropin releasing hormone, Luteinizing hormone, follicle stimulating hormone, estradiol, progesterone and
prolactin were determined. EECS significantly (p<0.05) reduced darting frequency, hopping frequency, lordosis
frequency, licking behavior, GnRH, FSH, LH, estradiol, progesterone and prolactin respectively. However, it
increased the darting latency, hopping latency and lordosis latency significantly (p<0.05). All these effects were
significantly reduced (p<0.05) when combined with melatonin. The study revealed that EECS decreased sexual
behaviour parameters which was ameliorated by melatonin.
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: Cannabis-sativa, melatonin, reproductive hormones, sexual behaviour