Spermatotoxic effects of selected traditional alcoholic beverages from North-Central Nigeria on adult male albino rats

Challenges associated with habitual intake of alcohol including health, social, psychological and especially reproductive health needs urgent attention. This study aimed to determine the spermatotoxic effect of selected traditional alcoholic beverages in rats. A total of 30 normal male Spaque dawley strain albino rats weighing 180-220g, divided into 5 groups of 6 rats in each were administered with 10ml/kg p.o each of pito, goskolo and ogogoro, goskolo respectively and 0.5ml/kg normal saline for a period of 21 days.

Sperm samples were harvested from the left caudal portion epididymis assayed for sperm motility, sperm morphology and sperm count after which histological examination was carried out on the testes. Results showed that active, sluggish and dead sperm cells were goskolo>pito>burukutu>control>ogogoro, ogogoro> burukutu> control>goskolo>pito and control>pito>ogogoro>burukutu>goskolo respectively. For morphology of sperm cells, it was goskolo>ogogoro>burukutu>control>pito (normal) and pito>control>burukutu> ogogoro> goskolo (abnormal). Also, that of sperm count was goskolo>ogogoro>pito>burukutu>control.

Results further showed that ogogoro and goskolo caused significant negative effects on quantity and quality of sperm cells with alteration of histological parameters marked with altered secondary spermatogonia and spermatid. These effects were however mild with pito and burukutu.

Traditional alcoholic beverages from North central Nigeria ‘pito’, 'burukutu', 'ogogoro', and goskolo' have negative on the quantity and quality of sperm cells with marked with infraction of spermatogonia of male albino rats. As a result of the spermatotoxic properties of these locally available and often ingested drinks by males predominantly in the reproductive age brackets will do well to avoid and or minimize its use as it leads to reprotoxicity.