Protective Effects of Aqueous Extract of Persea Americana Leaves Against Secondary Sexual Traits and Histopathological Damages Induced by Antouka Super® in Male Japanese Quails (Coturnix sp)

Abstract

The control of pesticide’s toxicological properties in the food chain could be a benefit to farmers by increasing animal productivity. The current study’s objective was to evaluate the protective effects of aqueous extract of Persea americana leaves (AEPAL) on secondary sexual traits and testis histology damages induced by Antouka Super® (AS) in male Japanese quail. Sixty male quails of 28 days old and weighing 106-119g were randomly distributed into 5 groups of 12 animals each and daily received for 60 consecutive days one of the treatments: group 1 and 2 received respectively 10 ml of distilled water and 75mg/kg of b.w of AS while groups 3, 4 and 5 in addition to 75mg/kg of b.w of AS, they received respectively 50, 100 and 200 mg/kg of b.w of AEPAL. The sexual behavior characteristics were evaluated during the trial period. At the end of the study, birds were humanly sacrificed, their blood collected for testosterone analysis and the testes removed for teste structure evaluation. Results revealed that exposure to AS significantly decreased testosterone level, time of shouting and appearance of foam, quantity of foam product, the volume and area of the cloacal gland, frequency of mount and frequency of successful mount, as well as degradation of the testes histology. The administration of AEPAL increased these parameters in a dose-dependent manner. Thus, these results demonstrate that AS had a toxic effect on secondary sexual traits and testis histology in male quail which could be alleviated by AEPAL administration at 200mg/kg of b.w.

Keywords

• antouka super
• male quails
• persea americana
• reproductive toxicity
• sexual behavior