Pro-fertility effects of hydroalcoholic extract of Psidium guajava leaves in female Wistar rats

Psidium guajava is a renowned plant used by African traditional medical practitioners because of its numerous therapeutic benefits but little is known of its positive effects on female fertility. The Pro-fertility effects of hydroalcoholic extract of Psidium guajava leaves in female Wistar rats were investigated in the present study. Four (4) groups of five (5) rats each were used for the study. Group A is the control received” Tween 20® ” . Groups B, C, and D rats received 100, 200 and 400 mg/kg body weight of the hydroalcoholic extract of P. guajava (HEPG) leaves respectively for 19 days. The rats were laparatomised on day 20 and the number of corpora lutea of pregnancy, number of live fetuses, the weight of the fetuses and placentae as well as the postcoital fertility index were recorded. Oral administration of HEPG leaves from day 1–19 significantly ( P < 0.05) caused an increase in maternal body weights, average weight of the placenta, ovary, and foetus in a dose-dependent-manner in the treated groups as compared with the control group. Progressive increase in the number of pregnant rats, number of rats showing implantation, number of the live foetus and mean corpus luteum number (CLN) per female, foetal crown-rump length (FCRL), percentage of a pregnant female in each group (PPF), and fertility index (FI) in a dose-dependent-manner, when the test groups are compared to control group. The results suggest that HEPG leaves could induce positive effects on the reproductive system in female albino rats.