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ABSTRACT
In clinical settings, diagnostic ultimate goals are to identify a cyst and determine the risk of malignancy. The aim of this study was to assess the morphological and morphometric pattern of ovarian cysts among women attending Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital (ISTH), Irrua; and investigate the effects of one of the identified aetiological factors at the hospital - clomiphene citrate (CC) and Zingiber officinale (ZO) extract on the histomorphology and functions of the ovary and uterus in Wistar rats. In the first part, the histomorphometric pattern of ovarian cysts among fifty (50) women attending ISTH was evaluated using structured questionnaires and clinical reports. The second part involved an experimental design comprising of seventy-five (75) Adult female Wistar rats. They were used to validate cystic formation in the ovary with the use of CC by patients and to assess the efficacy of ZO used by some respondents on ovarian cyst management. They were categorized into five main groups, A (control), B (irregular estrous), C (irregular estrous treated with 5 mg/kg body weight of CC), Group D (treated with ZO extract) and E (treated with CC and ZO extract). Results from the clinical studies revealed that the occurrence of ovarian cysts is significant (p < 0.05) in premenopausal women in the sampled population with the highest prevalence being follicular cysts (36.60 %). Clomiphene citrate was identified as an iatrogenic factor found associated with the occurrence of ovarian cysts among respondents. The findings from the animal studies revealed that CC and ZO had no significant effect (p > 0.05) on both body and organ weight of experimental rats, compared to control. The presence of follicular and luteal cysts in ovarian histology which were irreversible with ZO, were occasioned by the presence of oxidative stress and evidence of hormonal perturbations with LH, FSH and prolactin hormone surges. CC however resulted in low birth weight litters. The uteri of the mated experimental animals showed normal uterine stroma with patent endometrial canals and no resorption sites were seen. The study noted that the advantageous use of clomiphene citrate in fertility management can be associated with cystic formation in the ovary if used beyond prescription and supervision. Also, high dosage use of Zingiber officinale could compromise any potentially beneficial effect that might be related to management of ovarian cyst, hence, Zingiber officinale should be used with caution and discouraged as alternative remedy to ovarian cyst.
