Abstract

A. J. David, G. A. Adefolaju*, B. U. Enaibe, M. S. Ajao and E. A. Caxton-Martins

 The present study was designed to evaluate the effects of aqueous extracts of neem (Azadirachta Indica) leaves (which have been documented for its antifertility effect on experimental animals) on glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G-6PDH) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) levels in the ovaries of adult female wistar rats. Twenty four adult female wistar rats weighing 200 ± 10 g were divided into three groups A, B and C of eight animals each. Groups A and B were given 3 and 6 mg/kg body weight of extract respectively and the control group was given water orally for 21 days, at the end of which the animals were sacrificed and their ovaries assayed spectrophotometrically for the activities of G-6PDH and LDH. There was significant (p = 0.046) decrease in G-6-PDH and significant (p = 0.047) increase in LDH enzyme activities in the administered groups. The results indicate that extracts of neem which is widely consumed for a variety of ailments alters carbohydrate metabolism in the ovarian tissue.