Effect of PUFAs from Pteleopsis suberosa stem bark on androgenic enzymes, cellular ATP and prostatic acid phosphatase in mercury chloride – Exposed rat

Occupational and environmental exposure to mercury causes varieties of adverse reproductive disorders in mammals. The present study was designed to investigate the unsaturated fatty acids of Pteleopsis suberosa stem bark extract (PTSSBE), evaluate its antioxidant properties and examine its biochemical targets on sub-acute mercury-induced testicular dysfunctions. Rats were divided into five groups of 10 animals each. Group I was given distilled water; group II, III, IV and V was orally administered with mercury at a dose of 3.75mg/kg body weight. Group III, IV and V were co-treated with PTSSBE of 25, 50 and 100mg/kg body weight respectively, for 10days. Rats exposed to mercury significantly decreased the activities of catalase (CAT), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), and the level of reduced glutathione (GSH), while the formation of malondialdehyde (MDA) was increased. There was also a marked significant decrease (p