EFFECT OF MULTIVITAMINS ON THE FERTILITY O F NEEM (Azadirachta indica) TREATED LABORATORY FEMALE ALBINO RATS ( Rattus norvegicus)

Abstract

Azadirachta indica (Neem) is a widely used medicinal plant valued for its therapeutic properties, particularly in regions with limited access to conventional healthcare. It has been reported to exert antifertility effects by altering reproductive hormones in animals, yet the potential modulatory effects of multivitamin supplementation remain unclear. This study investigated the dose-dependent impact of neem leaf extract on reproductive hormones in female albino rats and assessed whether multivitamins could mitigate these effects. Mature neem leaves were collected from Christ Is The Answer Ministries (CITAM) Kisumu church compound and the University of Eldoret. Forty female albino rats sourced from Maseno University were acclimatized for one month under controlled conditions (22–25°C, 12-hour light/dark cycle). Twenty-four healthy, sexually mature rats were randomly assigned to eight treatment groups. Ethanol-extracted neem preparations were administered orally, with and without multivitamins, for 28 days. Post-treatment, blood serum samples were analyzed for follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), and estrogen using ELISA at Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital. Data were analyzed using one-way ANOVA, Tukey’s post hoc test, and regression analysis, with significance set at p<0.05. Results showed dose-dependent suppression of reproductive hormones by neem. FSH decreased from 8.27±0.35 in the negative control to 3.27±0.21 ng/mL in the highest neem dose (100 mg/kg), which was not significantly different in the positive control group (3.03±0.15 ng/mL). LH declined from 6.17±0.35 ng/mL in the negative control to 2.90±0.20 ng/mL (Neem100), versus 2.57±0.21 ng/mL in the positive control group. Estrogen levels fell from 52.59±2.55 pg/mL in the negative control to 13.53±1.25 pg/mL in Neem100, while controls and positive control had comparable levels (50.97±1.36 pg/mL). Multivitamin supplementation (done at the dosage of one pill per 70kg of body weight per day) partially reversed these suppressive effects of neem, increasing FSH to 5.87±0.15 ng/mL, LH to 5.13±0.15 ng/mL, and estrogen to 54.33±1.17 pg/mL in the Neem100+MV group. One-way ANOVA revealed highly significant differences among treatment groups for FSH (F 0.05(4,10) =181.67, p<0.0001), LH (F0.05(4,10) =88.24, p<0.0001), and estrogen (F0.05(4,10) =306.53, p<0.0001). Correlation analysis showed a very strong positive correlation between FSH and LH (r=0.992, p<0.0001), while estrogen exhibited weak, non-significant correlations with FSH and LH. In conclusion, neem leaf extract exerts potent contraceptive effects through dose-dependent suppression of reproductive hormones, with multivitamin supplementation partially mitigating these effects. These findings highlight the importance of understanding interactions between traditional herbal remedies and nutritional supplements and warrant further investigation into long-term outcomes and mechanisms.