ACUTE TOXICITY AND PREGNANCY ASSESSMENT OF N-HEXANE EXTRACT OF Peperomia pellucida LEAVES (PIPERACEAE) ON FEMALE ALBINO WISTAR RATS.

Peperomia pellucida is used traditionally for the treatment of infertility. Although the effects of the leave extract of P. pellucida on male infertility have been reported, there is no scientific research on female infertility and miscarriages in females in spite of its usefulness in folk medicine. In this research, outcome of the n-hexane extract of Peperomia pellucida leaves was studied on the three (3) stages of pregnancy, delivery and pups delivered. The aim of this study was to investigate the acute toxicity study in mice and determine the effect of the n-hexane extract of Peperomia pellucida leaves on the stages of pregnancy in female albino Wistar rats. An acute toxicity test was carried out using the Organization for Economic and Co-operation Development (OECD) method. Pregnancy outcome tests were carried out using standard procedures. After 72 hours of administration of 5000 mg/kg of the extract to the experimental group of mice, there was no sign of toxicity nor did mortality occur. The pregnancy outcome study, showed significant (p≤0.05) increases in the weight of gravid rats, number of implantation sites, width of uterine horns and serum progesterone levels respectively in the treatment groups at the first and second trimester. After parturition, it was revealed that there was significant (p≤0.05) increase in the birth weight of pups, crown-rump length, tail length and the onset of labour. In conclusion, this study revealed that the n-hexane extract of Peperomia pellucida leaves possesses positive pregnancy developmental effects on pregnancy out comes; thus, useful in the management of pregnancy, prevention of abortion, enhance pup development, delay in onset of labor and grossly improved pups appearance.