P. Beauv (Cecropiaceae) Extracts Accelerates Sexual Maturation, and Increases Fertility Index and Gestational Rate in Female Wistar Rats.

Despite the wide use of leaves of (Cecropiaceae) in several African countries including Cameroon as food and against amenorrhea and female infertility, it has never been tested for this purpose. Using immature female Wistar rats, the impact of on the sexual maturation parameters (vaginal opening, ovarian relative weight and follicle maturation, gonadotropins and ovarian hormones serum levels) and fertility index has been evaluated through a 30-day oral administration of aqueous and methanol extracts of leaves at the doses of 20, 110 and 200 g/kg/day. Aqueous extract increased the ovarian relative weight ( < 0.001), progesterone ( < 0.001) and gonadotropins ( < 0.001) serum levels, and induced the maturation of ovarian follicles. The methanol extract additionally induced an early vaginal opening ( < 0.001), uterine growth ( < 0.01) and increased estradiol ( < 0.001) serum levels. The fertility index generally increased following treatments, while the gestation rate remained almost unaffected except at the highest tested dose of where lowest values were observed. Globally, induced an early puberty onset and an increased fertility rate validating at least in part its traditional use for female infertility.