Cytotoxicity activity and reproductive profiles of male rats treated with methanolic extracts of Ficus deltoidea

Abstract

Ficus deltoidea is a shrub belongs to Moraceae family. The Malaysian traditional medicinal practitioners use the F. deltoidea leaves to treat poor circulation after giving birth and to reduce blood glucose level and blood pressure. In this study, methanolic extract of F. deltoidea fruit and leaf were tested on human leukemic HL 60 cell line for their cytotoxicity activity and its effects on reproductive system of male rats. The methanol extracts was employed to assess its effects on body weight, testes, epididymis, sperm count, sperm viability and sperm morphology. Both methanolic leaf and fruit extracts showed significant cytotoxic activity against HL-60 cell line with IC 50 value of 11.4 and 13.6 μg mL -1, respectively. The administration of the F. deltoidea leaf extract did not significantly alter the body weight of male rats. Testes and epididymis weight, sperm count, sperm viability and the number of normal sperm morphology were significantly decreased when treated with leaf extract. Meanwhile, rats treated with extract from stem showed significant increase in epididymis weight, sperm count and sperm viability. However, there is a reduction in testes weight and the number of normal sperm morphology of male rats. Cytotoxic activity against HL 60 cell line of the leaf methanolic extract was more potent than fruit methanolic extract. There was a significant effect on testes and epididymis weight, sperm count, sperm viability and the number of normal sperm morphology. However, the mechanism of action of F. deltoidea extracts still remains unclear and an intensive research should be needed in the future. © 2012 Academic Journals Inc.