CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1
    BACKGROUND OF STUDY

Plants
have been considered as sources of medicinal agents, as it offers natural
products useful for human health. Since the existence of human life on the
planet earth, plants have been the source of food, clothing, shelter, fiber,
fuel and medicine. Since time immemorial plants are the principle raw materials
of traditional medicinal system that has been practiced and continue to provide
mankind with novel therapies (Cragg and Newmann, 2005). One of such medicinal
plsntis is Rauwolfia Vomitoria whose
discovery was accredited to the 16th century German Physician, Leonart
Rauwolf. Rauwolfia vomitoria is
a plant species that of the genus Rauvolfia. It is also called the “poison
devils pepper”. Rauwolfia vomitoria contains
a large number of indole alkaloids, the root bark contains reserpiline as a
major component, followed by reserpine, reserpinine and ajmaline. Root products
of Rauwolfia vomitoria have been
found to be potent in treatment hypertension, as a sedative to calm epilepsy
and psychotic or mental illness. They are also used to wash Children with Colic
or fever as well as for skin problems such as rash, pimples, etc. (Schmelzer,
2007). It adverse effect include: decreased heart rate and blood pressure,
which is due to dilation of blood vessels. It also causes low sex drive
increase appetite, weight loss and stomach upset.

          Sex
hormones are natural substances produced by the body that helps relay messages
between cells and organs and affect development of sexual organs and other
secondary sexual characteristics. Estrogen and progesterone are the two main
female sex hormones. Although testosterone is considered as a male hormones
females also produce and use a small amount of it too.

          Estrogen
is the major female hormones. The major amount of the estrogen is produced by
the ovaries but small amounts are produced in the adrenal glands and fat cells.
During pregnancy, the placenta also makes estrogen. Estrogen plays a big role
in reproduction and sexual development, including puberty, menstruation,
pregnancy and menopause.

          The
ovaries also produces the progesterone after ovulation and during pregnancy, the
placenta also produces some. Progesterone plays a role in preparing the lining
of the uterus for a fertilized egg, supporting pregnancy and suppressing of
estrogen production after ovulation.

          Testosterone
is a male sex hormone that is important for sexual and reproductive
development. It is responsible for development of male sex organs before birth
as well as development of other secondary characteristics.

1.2     STATEMENT
OF THE PROBLEM

          Alkaloids
have been reported to show varying effects on the serum hormone levels. Rauwolfia vomitoria has a vast
composition of alkaloids and is potent in treatment and management of various
ailments. However, there is not enough information as to the effect of Rauwolfia vomitoria root bark
extract on the levels of sex hormones.

1.3     AIM
AND OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

The
aim of the study is to evaluate the effect of Rauwolfia vomitoria root bark extract on male and female sex
hormones.

1.4     SIGNIFICANCE
OF THE STUDY

The
result from this study will add more knowledge to our existing biomedical and
pharmacological potentials of Rauwolfia
vomitoria and this may help open up new avenues of investigation for
researchers.

1.5     JUSTIFICATION
OF THE STUDY

Medicinal
plants have received a great deal of attention due to their possible beneficial
as well as adverse effects. Some of these plants are known to possess anti-
fertility effect through their action on hypothlamo-pituitary-gonadal axis or
direct hormonal effects on reproductive organs resulting in inhibition of ovarian
steroidogenesis. Sex hormones are natural substances produced by the body that
helps relay messages between cells and organs and affect development of sexual
organs and other secondary sexual characteristics. Alteration in the levels of
these sex hormones may lead to infertilty, abortion, abnormal development of
sexual characteristics and sexual organs in male, hence the need for use of
medicinal plants as a means of regulating hormonal levels by way of increasing
or decreasing it.

1.6     SCOPE
OF THE STUDY

The
scope of the study includes:

                           
I.           
Collection
of plant

                        
II.           
Identification
of plants

                     
III.           
Extraction
of plants

                    
IV.           
Administration
of ethanol extract of Rauwolfia vomitoria
to male and female albino Wistar rats depending on body weigh

                       
V.           
Serum
separation by centrifugation

                    
VI.           
Analysis
of the result

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