Sub-chronic Effects of Calcium Carbide-Ripened Mango Juice on Reproductive Hormones and Ovarian Histology in Female Wistar Rats

Swesme Enyioma-Alozie1, Leslie Joshua Abdulazeez1, Shuaibu Muhammad Rais Ibraheem2, Olugbenga Eweoya3

1Department of Anatomy, Baze University, Abuja,
2Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, National Hospital, Abuja,
3Department of Anatomical sciences, University of Abuja

*Corresponding author’s Email: swesenyi@gmail.com, doi.org/10.55639/607.02010070


ABSTRACT

Commercial grade calcium carbide (CaC2), with arsine impurities, is used to forcefully ripen commercially sold fruits which are also consumed by pregnant women. The effect of CaC2 ripened mangoes on reproductive hormones and ovarian tissues in female Wistar rats was investigated. Nine groups of six (n=6)female Wistar rats each weighing an average of 150g were housed in a wire cage and fed with rat chow and water ad libitum. Ethical approval for animal use was obtained from the University Ethical Committee. The rats were given various doses of mango juice with a gavage orally for 4weeks. Group A served as the control. Groups B and C, 500 and 1000mg/kg of Naturally Ripened Fruit (NRF) respectively, groups D and E 500 and 1000mg/kg of Market Carbide Ripened Fruit (MCRF), groups F and G 500 and 1000mg/kg of 10g Laboratory Carbide Ripened Fruit (LCRF), groups H and I 500 and 1000mg/kg of 30g LCRF respectively. Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry (AAS) and UV/Visible Spectrophotometry were used to analyze the concentration of some heavy metals in the mangoes. At the end of 4 weeks, the rats were sacrificed during the proestrous phase of the oestrus cycle; Hormonal analyses using ELISA was done and ovarian tissue histology was also done to check for possible histopathological changes. AAS and UV/Visible spectrophotometry showed presence of mercury, arsenic, cadmium. Values were expressed as Mean ± Standard Error of Mean (SEM) and shown as significant when compared with NR and Positive control at p˂0.05.The results of the hormonal profile showed a significant difference in the CAC2 treated groups at p˂0.05 especially D(1.6±0.5; 1.01±0.02; 21.1±0.9; 28.5±0.5),G(1.08 ± 0.04; 1.26 ±0.06; 9.18 ± 1.00; 20.18 ± 0.9), H(1.31±0.44; 1.07±0.08; 2.35±0.4; 22.6±0.6), I(0.88 ±0.17; 0.93± 0.05; 1.85± 0.15; 19.55 ±1.55) when compared to group A (control; 14.1±0.9; 1.9±0.3; 31.6±2; 58.4±8.2) for FSH, LH, Progesterone and Oestrogen respectively causing a deleterious impact of CaC2 on the female reproductive hormones, especially the group with higher doses of LCRF as compared to other groups(p

Keywords:

Calcium carbide,
Hormones,
Ovary,
Spectrophotometry