Mountain Top University Library

ABSTRACT
Polycystic ovary syndrome is an endocrine system disorder also known as stein-leventhal syndrome which is characterized by hyperandrogenism, ovulatory dysfunction, polycystic ovarian morphology, and some metabolic dysfunction (such as type 2 diabetes, hyperinsulinemia, obesity). Although various drugs like metformin have been used in the treatment of PCOS, side effects like lactic acidosis and gastrointestinal symptoms have brought about the limiting effect of this drug. Thus, the need to explore alternative option like medicinal plants such as Vernonia amygdalina and evaluate its phytoconstituents and toxicity of ethanolic fractions of the leaves. Therefore, this study was designed to evaluate the toxicological effects of Vernonia amygdalina on letrozole-induced albino rats. The toxicological effects of solvent extract of Vernonia amygdalina (DEL) at the doses of 50 and 100mg/kg body weight of letrozole-induced in polycystic ovary syndrome was investigated in female wistar rats. Twenty female rats were assigned to 5 groups (A-E) of 4 animals. Animals in group A were administered orally with 1ml distilled water while animals in group B-E were administered letrozole (1mg/kg body weight) to induce PCOS. After induction, animals in group C were treated orally with 7.14mg/kg of metformin and 2mg/kg clomiphene citrate (reference drug) and animals in group D and E were administered orally 50 and 100 mg/kg body weight of EEVAL respectively. The administration of Del resulted in the increase of albumin, globulin, direct bilirubin, serum alkaline phosphatase levels and the decrease liver alkaline phosphatase, alanine aminotransferase, total bilirubin, albumin: globulin ratio activities.