COMPARING THE EFFECTS OF GARCINIA KOLA SEED AND BROMOCRIPTINE ON LACTATORY APPARATUS OF PREGNANT WISTAR RATS: VALIDATING THE SEED CONSUMPTION DURING GESTATION

Abstract

Background/ objective: The idea of “it is natural and does no harm” is a disturbing belief of users of medicinal plants. A focus on a natural remedy to regulate lactation, especially, with increasing reports of delay in post parturition lactation is required. We aim to compare the effects of ethanol extract of the seed of Garcinia kola and Bromocriptine on pregnancy hormones, genes involved in lactation, structures of the mammary and pituitary glands. Materials and methods: A total of 50 female Wistar rats (170-250g) were involved in the study. The lethal dose was determined using 25 rats. The remaining rats were mated with males in a 2:1 (female: male) ratio, after determination of the estrous cycle and divided into 5 groups consisting of 5 rats each. When mating was ascertained by the presence of spermatozoa in vaginal smear, it was designated Day 0 of pregnancy. Rats in group A (negative control) and group E (positive control) received 2ml of distil water and 2.5mg/kg body weight of Bromocriptine respectively, while those in group B, C and D received 30, 100 and 1000mg/kg body weight daily of ethanol extract of the seeds of Garcinia kola, respectively, throughout gestation with the aid of oral cannula and a syringe. On day 20, the rats were sacrificed and their mammary and pituitary glands taken for histopathology and genetics, and blood were collected for hormonal assay. Results: The concentration of blood Prolactin in rats (group C and E) was elevated but that of group (B and D) was reduced, with consequent reduction and elevation of Estrogen and Progesterone concentration, respectively. The extract appreciably inhibited the proliferation of pituitary lactotrophs and lactiferous ducts of the mammary glands. Bromocriptine and the extract up regulated the expression of pituitary ion channel and lipogenic enzyme genes of the mammary glands, but down regulated that of acetyl cholinesterase gene. Additionally, the expression of Aromatase gene was down regulated in rats (group B and C). Discussion and conclusion: Bromocriptine and the extract regulate the concentration of Prolactin in the blood and ultimately repress the transcriptional programs of lipogenic and ion channel genes in lactation signaling pathway. Consequently, the extract can introduce new classes of therapeutics to manage post-menopausal women with breast cancer and post parturition lactation.