Abstract:
This study investigated the effects of oral administration of methanolic leaf extract of Telfairia occidentalis (MLETO) on the reproductive indices of female albino rats. Fifty-six Sprague-Dawley albino rats (42 females and 14 males) were used for the study. The females were randomly assigned into 7 groups (designated A, B, C, D, E, F and G). Group A received only distilled water, while groups B and C received 200 and 800 mg/kg body weight of MLETO for the first 7 days of gestation; groups D and E received 200 and 800 mg/kg of MLETO for the first 14 days, and groups F and G received 200 and 800 mg/kg of MLETO for the entire 21 days of gestation respectively. The males were only used in mating the females. The number of return to estrus per pregnancy, number of implanted/developing conceptuses, gestation length, litter size at birth, litter weight at birth, crown-rump length at birth and aborting rat were assessed. Quantal pregnancy, implantation index, viability index, birth index, live-birth index and percentage aborted were calculated. Serum
