Attached
CHAPTER FOUR RESULTS 4.1 Effects of Graded Doses of Curcuma longa on the Reproductive Morphometric Indices of Male Rabbit (Bucks) 4.1.1 Epididymal weights Group C fed with 1,000 mg/kg Curcuma longa recorded the highest significant (p < 0.05)="" mean="" left="" epididymal="" weight="" (1.21="" ±="" 0.09="" g),="" while="" the="" control="" (group="" d)="" had="" the="" lowest="" (0.92="" ±="" 0.04="" g)="" at="" day="" 45="" (table="" 1).="" there="" was="" no="" significant="" (p=""> 0.05) difference in the mean left epididymal weight of groups A (1.02 ± 0.03 g) and B (1.07 ± 0.02 g), dosed 250 and 500 mg/kg Curcuma longa respectively at day 45. There was a significant (p < 0.05)="" dose="" dependent="" increase="" in="" mean="" left="" epididymal="" weight="" at="" day="" 90.="" however,="" the="" control="" group="" had="" the="" lowest="" mean="" left="" epididymal="" weight="" (0.94="" ±="" 0.04="" g)="" at="" day="" 90.="" the="" mean="" left="" epididymal="" weight="" registered="" for="" group="" a="" (1.09="" ±="" 0.01="" g),="" at="" day="" 90,="" did="" not="" differ="" significantly="" (p=""> 0.05) from the control value (0.94 ± 0.04 g). There was an increase in mean left epididymal weight values recorded at day 90 in all the groups. However, group A fed 250 mg/kg of Curcuma longa showed a significant difference (t = -3.920, p = 0.030). The mean right epididymal weight result at day 45 followed the same pattern of the mean left epididymal weight at day 45. The control group recorded the lowest significant (p < 0.05)="" mean="" right="" epididymal="" weight="" (0.91="" ±="" 0.05="" g)="" at="" day="" 90.="" the="" mean="" right="" epididymal="" weights="" for="" groups="" a,="" b="" and="" c="" fed="" 250,="" 500="" and="" 1,000="" mg/kg="" of="" curcuma="" longa="" were="" 1.07="" ±="" 0.03="" g,="" 1.13="" ±="" 0.09="" g="" and="" 1.19="" ±="" 0.04="" g="" respectively.="" there="" was="" a="" significant="" (p="">< 0.05)="" difference="" in="" the="" mean="" right="" epididymal="" weight="" at="" day="" 90.="" however,="" the="" curcuma="" longa="" fed="" groups="" registered="" dose="" dependent="" increase="" in="" mean="" right="" epididymal="" weight="" (table="" 1).="" the="" daily="" comparison="" of="" mean="" right="" epididymal="" weights="" was="" similar="" with="" the="" mean="" left="" epididymal="" weight="" results.="" the="" mean="" right="" epididymal="" weight="" values="" registered="" at="" day="" 90="" were="" higher="" than="" the="" values="" observed="" at="" day="" 45="" in="" all="" the="" groups,="" and="" very="" high="" significant="" difference="" was="" recorded="" in="" group="" a,="" fed="" 250="" mg/kg="" of="" curcuma="" longa="" (t="-22.045," p="0.0001)." table="" 1:="" effects="" of="" graded="" doses="" of="" curcuma="" longa="" on="" the="" epididymal="" weights="" of="" male="" rabbit="" (bucks)="" groups="" concentrations="" (mg/kg)="" epididymal="" weights="" (g)="" left="" right="" 45="" days="" 90="" days="" t="" p-value="" 45="" days="" 90="" days="" t="" p-value="" a="" (250)="" 1.02="" ±="" 0.03b="" 1.09="" ±="" 0.01a="" -3.920="" 0.030*="" 0.98="" ±="" 0.03b="" 1.07="" ±="" 0.03b="" -22.045="" 0.0001**="" b="" (500)="" 1.07="" ±="" 0.02b="" 1.16="" ±="" 0.10b="" -1.457="" 0.241="" 1.03="" ±="" 0.03b="" 1.13="" ±="" 0.09bc="" -2.086="" 0.128="" c="" (1,000)="" 1.21="" ±="" 0.09c="" 1.26="" ±="" 0.03c="" -1.608="" 0.206="" 1.17="" ±="" 0.09c="" 1.19="" ±="" 0.04c="" -0.384="" 0.727="" d="" (control)="" 0.92="" ±="" 0.04a="" 0.94="" ±="" 0.04a="" -0.683="" 0.544="" 0.88="" ±="" 0.02a="" 0.91="" ±="" 0.05a="" -1.033="" 0.378="" mean="" values="" with="" different="" alphabets="" as="" superscript="" in="" a="" column="" differ="" significantly="" (p="">< 0.05).="" level="" of="" significance="" along="" rows:="" *="p">< 0.05;="" **="p">< 0.01.="" 4.1.2="" testicular="" weights="" there="" was="" a="" significant="" (p="">< 0.05)="" dose-dependent="" increase="" in="" mean="" left="" testicular="" weight="" at="" days="" 45="" and="" 90="" respectively="" (table="" 2).="" also,="" the="" mean="" left="" testicular="" weights="" of="" the="" groups="" dosed="" curcuma="" longa="" were="" significantly="" (p="">< 0.05)="" higher="" than="" the="" control="" groups="" at="" days="" 45="" and="" 90="" respectively.="" there="" was="" a="" significant="" increase="" in="" the="" mean="" left="" testicular="" weights="" registered="" at="" day="" 90="" in="" all="" the="" experimental="" groups="" at="" p="">< 0.05.="" however,="" exactly="" the="" same="" pattern="" of="" results="" recorded="" at="" mean="" left="" testicular="" weights,="" were="" also="" registered="" at="" mean="" right="" testicular="" weights.="" table="" 2:="" effects="" of="" graded="" doses="" of="" curcuma="" longa="" on="" the="" testicular="" weights="" of="" male="" rabbit="" groups="" concentrations="" (mg/kg)="" testicular="" weight="" (g)="" left="" right="" 45="" days="" 90="" days="" t="" p-value="" 45="" days="" 90="" days="" t="" p-value="" a="" (250)="" 1.85="" ±="" 0.04b="" 2.08="" ±="" 0.03b="" -7.014="" 0.006**="" 1.82="" ±="" 0.04b="" 2.08="" ±="" 0.04b="" -9.696="" 0.002**="" b="" (500)="" 1.99="" ±="" 0.02c="" 2.44="" ±="" 0.04c="" -14.014="" 0.001**="" 1.95="" ±="" 0.02c="" 2.41="" ±="" 0.04c="" -12.080="" 0.001**="" c="" (1,000)="" 2.38="" ±="" 0.06d="" 2.72="" ±="" 0.04d="" -5.656="" 0.011*="" 2.33="" ±="" 0.07d="" 2.68="" ±="" 0.04d="" -5.490="" 0.012*="" d="" (control)="" 1.38="" ±="" 0.04a="" 1.73="" ±="" 0.04a="" -6.715="" 0.007**="" 1.36="" ±="" 0.04a="" 1.77="" ±="" 0.08a="" -10.500="" 0.002**="" mean="" values="" with="" different="" alphabets="" as="" superscript="" in="" a="" column="" differ="" significantly="" (p="">< 0.05).="" level="" of="" significance="" along="" rows:="" *="p">< 0.05;="" **="p">< 0.01.="" 4.1.3="" testicular="" lengths="" group="" c="" recorded="" the="" highest="" significant="" (p="">< 0.05)="" mean="" left="" testicular="" length="" at="" days="" 45="" (3.29="" ±="" 0.03="" cm)="" and="" 90="" (3.36="" ±="" 0.02="" cm),="" while="" group="" a="" had="" the="" lowest="" at="" days="" 45="" (3.22="" ±="" 0.03="" cm)="" and="" 90="" (3.28="" ±="" 0.30="" cm)="" respectively.="" however,="" the="" mean="" left="" testicular="" length="" of="" group="" c="" did="" not="" differ="" significantly="" (p=""> 0.05) from the value registered for group D, the control (3.28 ± 0.06 cm) and group B (3.27 ± 0.03 cm) at day 45 (Table 3). There was an increase in mean left testicular lengths registered at day 90 in all the groups. Nevertheless, the increase recorded a significant difference in all the Curcuma longa fed groups at p < 0.05.="" the="" mean="" right="" testicular="" length="" at="" day="" 45="" varied,="" but="" did="" not="" register="" any="" significant="" (p=""> 0.05) difference (Table 3). Group A recorded the lowest significant (p < 0.05)="" mean="" right="" testicular="" length="" (3.22="" ±="" 0.03="" cm)="" at="" day="" 90.="" the="" mean="" right="" testicular="" length="" of="" groups="" b="" (3.27="" ±="" 0.03="" cm)="" and="" c="" (3.30="" ±="" 0.00="" cm),="" fed="" 500="" and="" 1,000="" mg/kg="" curcuma="" longa="" respectively="" and="" the="" control="" (3.27="" ±="" 0.03="" cm)="" did="" not="" differ="" significantly="" (p=""> 0.05). All the groups recorded an increase in mean right testicular lengths at day 90. However, group C fed 1,000 mg/kg of Curcuma longa registered a significant difference (t = -3.372, p = 0.043). Table 3: Effects of graded doses of Curcuma longa on the testicular lengths of male rabbit (bucks) Groups / Concentrations (mg/kg) Testicular lengths (cm) Left Right 45 days 90 days t p-value 45 days 90 days t p-value A (250) 3.22 ± 0.03a 3.28 ± 0.30a -4.373 0.022* 3.17 ± 0.03a 3.22 ± 0.03a -2.782 0.069 B (500) 3.27 ± 0.03ab 3.33 ± 0.04bc -3.379 0.043* 3.22 ± 0.03a 3.27 ± 0.03b -2.875 0.064 C (1,000) 3.29 ± 0.03b 3.36 ± 0.02c -5.513 0.012* 3.24 ± 0.03a 3.30 ± 0.00b -3.372 0.043* D (Control) 3.28 ± 0.06ab 3.31 ± 0.02ab -0.911 0.429 3.23 ± 0.06a 3.27 ± 0.03b -0.819 0.473 Mean values with different alphabets as superscript in a column differ significantly (p < 0.05).="" level="" of="" significance="" along="" rows:="" *="p">< 0.05;="" **="p">< 0.01.="" 4.1.4="" testicular="" width="" there="" was="" a="" significant="" (p="">< 0.05)="" dose="" dependent="" increase="" in="" mean="" left="" testicular="" width="" at="" day="" 45="" (table="" 4).="" the="" mean="" left="" testicular="" width="" of="" group="" a="" (1.06="" ±="" 0.02="" cm)="" did="" not="" differ="" significantly="" (p=""> 0.05) with the control (1.08 ± 0.02 cm). At day 90, there was also a dose dependent increase in mean left testicular width. But, significant (p < 0.05)="" increase="" was="" recorded="" in="" group="" c="" (1.32="" ±="" 0.03="" cm).="" there="" was="" no="" significant="" (p=""> 0.05) difference in the mean left testicular width of groups A (1.11 ± 0.02 cm), B (1.15 ± 0.04 cm) and the control (1.12 ± 0.04 cm). There was an increase in mean left testicular width at day 90. The increase showed significant (p < 0.05)="" difference="" in="" groups="" a="" (t="-3.286," p="0.046)" and="" c="" (t="-5.279," p="0.013)" respectively.="" there="" was="" a="" dose="" dependent="" increase="" in="" mean="" right="" testicular="" width="" of="" the="" experimental="" animals="" at="" days="" 45="" and="" 90="" respectively.="" the="" days="" 45="" and="" 90="" registered="" significant="" (p="">< 0.05)="" increase="" in="" group="" c="" (1.24="" ±="" 0.06="" cm="" and="" 1.35="" ±="" 0.03="" cm)="" respectively.="" there="" was="" no="" significant="" (p=""> 0.05) difference in the mean right testicular width of groups A, B and the control at days 45 and 90 respectively. Interestingly, the mean right testicular width of group A and the control at day 90 were recorded equal (1.14 ± 0.02 cm). There was a gradual increase in mean right testicular width at day 90. However, the increase did not show any significant (p > 0.05) difference between days 45 and 90 in all the groups respectively (Table 4). Table 4: Effects of graded doses of Curcuma longa on the testicular width of male rabbit (bucks) Groups / Concentrations (mg/kg) Testicular width (cm) Left Right 45 days 90 days t p-value 45 days 90 days t p-value A (250) 1.06 ± 0.02a 1.11 ± 0.02a -3.286 0.046* 1.09 ± 0.03a 1.14 ± 0.02a -2.147 0.121 B (500) 1.11 ± 0.02b 1.15 ± 0.04a -2.049 0.133 1.14 ± 0.02a 1.19 ± 0.04a -3.000 0.058 C (1,000) 1.20 ± 0.02c 1.32 ± 0.03b -5.279 0.013* 1.24 ± 0.06b 1.35 ± 0.03b -3.071 0.055 D (Control) 1.08 ± 0.02a 1.12 ± 0.04a -2.460 0.091 1.11 ± 0.03a 1.14 ± 0.02a -1.287 0.288 Mean values with different alphabets as superscript in a column differ significantly (p < 0.05).="" level="" of="" significance="" along="" rows:="" *="p">< 0.05;="" **="p">< 0.01. 4.2 effects of graded doses of curcuma longa on 0.01.="" 4.2="" effects="" of="" graded="" doses="" of="" curcuma="" longa="">