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The effect of Melaleuca cajuputi methanolic leaves extract on body growth, puberty and sperm quality of juvenile male rats

Dzulsuhaimi Daud, Nor Nafiza Mohd Sepuan Gan, Mohd Tajudin Mohd Ali, Alene Tawang

The aims of this study was to determine the effects of Melaleuca cajuputi methanolic leaves extract on body growth, the timing of puberty and sperm quality in juvenile rats. Twenty four Sprague Dawleymale rats, four weeks old, were assigned to four different groups (n=6). The animals received standard maintenance diets supplemented with different levels of M. cajuputi methanolic leaves extract. First group served as a control and only received maintenance diets. Meanwhile another three groups supplementedwith 50, 100 and 200mg.kg-1 ofM. cajuputimethanolic leaves extract, respectively, for sixweeks. Bodyweight and the degree of preputial separation were monitored on weekly basis.At the end of the experiment, all animals were sacrificed and their epidydimis were subjected to sperm analysis. Over six weeks of experiment, the bodyweight increased significantly (p<0.05) over time for all groups but no differences (p>0.05) was observed between treatment. The number of male with fully preputial separation was significantly (p<0.05) higher in males supplemented with 200 mg.kg-1 of M. cajuputi. The sperm quality was increased with M. cajuputi supplementation. These results suggest that the M. cajuputi methanolic leaves extract improved sperm quality and reduced the age to achieve puberty in male.