ABSTRACT
Simarouba glauca commonly known as ‘Paradise tree’ is a plant native to the Americas and the Caribbean whose propagation and use has spread too many parts of the world due to the many medicinal properties attributed to it. Extracts of the plant have been successfully used as antimalarial, antimicrobial, haemostatic, anthelminthic, and anti-cancerous agents. This study was aimed at determining the effects of methanol extracts of Simarouba glauca on the antioxidant, histological and hormonal profile of young female Albino Wistar rats. Thirty young female Albino Wistar rats divided into six groups of five rats per group were used for this study. Group 1 was the control group and groups 2 to 6 were the test groups that were administered 125 mg/kg, 250 mg/kg, 500 mg/kg, 750 mg/kg, and 1000 mg/kg of methanol extracts of Simarouba glauca leaves, respectively. Prior to the commencement of the study, the animals were acclimatised for two weeks. The extract was orally administered to the rats in the test groups for twenty-eight days, and at the end of the study, antioxidant, histological, and hormonal assays were carried out. Results from this study showed significant (p < 0.05) increase in the percentage weight gain, GSH, GPx, SOD, luteinising hormone, and oestradiol levels of the rats in the 750 mg/kg and 1000 mg/kg test groups compared to that of the control group. There was significant reduction (p < 0.05) in MDA levels across all test groups compared with that of the control. Histological examination of the uteri showed increasing stromal and glandular proliferation from Group 3 (250 mg/kg b.w.) group to Group 6 (1000 mg/kg b.w.) group. Consumption of Simarouba glauca, though highly medicinal, should be done with caution amongst women due to the effects it has on female sex hormones.
