The Effect of Oral Administration of _tetrapleura Tetraptera_(aidan) Fruit Extract on the Hypothalamus of Adult Male Wistar Rats

ABSTRACT Tetrapleura tetraptera is a deciduous tree belonging to the family Mimosaceae or Pea. The seeds, which rattle in the pods, are small, black, hard, flat, about 8 mm long, embedded in the body of the pod, which does not split open. The kernel contains oil. This study investigated the effect of oral administration of ethanolic extract of Tetrapleura tetraptera fruit on the hypothalamus of adult male Wistar rats. Twenty six adult male wistar rats were randomly divided into four groups: control, high-dose (900mg/kg), medium-dose (600mg/kg), and high-dose (300mg/kg) extract-treated groups. The extract was administered daily for 8weeks. At the completion of the experiment, the animals were sacrificed, the hypothalamus was excised and processed for histological and histomorphometric analysis using H & E staining techniques. Histological observations of the treated groups showed distortion in the hypothalamus. Also, there was thinning out of the mucosa lining of the seminal vesicle as seen in the medium and low dose groups. Results showed that the ethanolic fruit extract of tetrapleura tetraptera at 900, 600, and 300 mg/kg body weight for 8weeks has an adverse effect on hypothalamic architecture, including neuronal degeneration, gliosis, and vascular congestion. This may have direct effect on the cells and endocrine function. Hence, tetrapleura tetraptera may have the ability to inhibit fertility in males.