Antifertility Effect of Inhaled Cannabis Sativa on Male Wistar Rats

A total of forty (40) male wistar rats randomly divided into four groups of ten (10) rats per group were used for this work. Group 1 served as the control and was treated with distilled water, group 2 was the low dose group (exposed to cannabis smoke for 5minutes daily), group 3 was the high dose group (exposed to cannabis smoke for 10minutes daily) and group 4 was the high dose + ascorbic acid group (exposed to cannabis smoke for 10 minutes and orally gavaged with ascorbic acid at 2.8mg/kg body weight daily). The rats were weighed weekly and the administration lasted for 28days. The animals were sacrificed on the 29th day and blood was collected by means of cardiac puncture. Serum was obtained for hormonal assay. The result showed a significant increase in the body weight (p>0.05) in the high dose group compared to low dose and high dose + ascorbic acid group, while the control group recorded the least body weight gained. There was significant decrease in testicular weight (p>0.05) in the experimental groups compared to the control group. Prolactin level was significantly increased (p>0.05) in the high dose group compared to the other groups. Estradiol level was significantly decreased (p>0.05) in the high dose group compared to the other groups. Testosterone level was significantly increased (p>0.05) in the high dose + ascorbic acid group compared to the other groups. Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH) level was significantly increased (p>0.05) in the high dose and high dose + ascorbic acid group compared to the other two groups. Luteinizing Hormone (LH) level increased significantly (p>0.05) in the control and high dose groups compared to the other two groups. From this result, it can therefore be concluded that cannabis sativa decreases testicular weight, estradiol and testosterone level and increases body weight, FSH, LH and prolactin level in male wistar rats. Also that ascorbic acid (vitamin c) was able to ameliorate some of these effects