CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Piper Guineense belongs to the family Piperaceae and is a climbing vine in West Africa, commonly known as African black pepper or Uziza in the Igbo language. Traditional healers and chefs in the area use African black pepper as a spice and medicinal herb. Alkaloids like piperine, flavonoids, tannins, and essential oils in the fruit, leaves, and seeds of the herb are responsible for their pharmacology.

It is believed in traditional medicine that this plant enhances reproductive health. Recent studies have also examined its possible impact on male fertility by considering how it affects the quality of sperm, organ weight, and histological architecture.

Rabbits belong to the family Leporidae, which is a family of small mammals that includes the familiar European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) in the wild as well as in home settings. While originally from Europe and Africa, rabbits today can be found in populations all over the world. The herbivorous nature of rabbits, combined with their long ears and strong hind limbs, has made them a fertility symbol in many cultural traditions due to their highly reproductive abilities.

Domestic rabbits weigh between 2 and 20 pounds depending on their breed, but wild rabbits are smaller in size. Domestic rabbits in captivity live from 8 to 12 years, but their average lifespan drops to 1 to 2 years in the wild due to predation.

Rabbits subsist entirely on vegetation such as grasses and vegetables and employ a hindgut-specialized digestive system (cecotrophy).

Rabbits are crepuscular, active at dawn and dusk, social animals that live in warrens in the wild, and they communicate through body language, thumping, and vocalization.

Rabbits are highly prolific reproducers, and this is one reason that they have become a subject in fertility studies.

The gestation period in rabbits is 28-31 days, which is one of the shortest among mammals of their size.

They give birth to 4-12 baby rabbits (kits) per litter, with does having multiple litters in a year.

Rabbits are induced ovulators, meaning ovulation only occurs after mating, triggered by physical contact. This allows them to reproduce very rapidly and frequently.

They reach sexual maturity at 3-6 months, depending on their breed and environmental conditions.

A female can become pregnant again within hours after giving birth, allowing for overlapping pregnancies (though superfetation is rare, it can happen).

Their exceptional reproductive rate has led to the phrase “breeding like rabbits” and their use in fertility research. However, rats and mice are more commonly studied due to their lower cost and shorter generation times.

Rabbits also played a key role in early pregnancy testing (the “rabbit test” from the 1920s to 1950s), where a woman’s urine was injected into a female rabbit to check for the presence of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), which would trigger ovulation if detected. This test is now obsolete due to modern medical advancements.

Rodent studies suggest that Piper Guineense may have a positive effect on reproductive parameters. For example, Memudu et al. (2014) administered aqueous extracts from the plant’s dry fruits to adult male Sprague Dawley rats and observed increased body and testicular weight, elevated serum testosterone levels, and normal sperm parameters, indicating a potential enhancement of male fertility.

On the other hand, some studies have reported possible negative effects. Watcho et al. (2002) found that Piper guineense stimulated sexual behavior in male rats, increasing penile erection frequency, intromission, and ejaculation. However, these changes were also linked to heightened orientation behaviors toward females, suggesting increased sexual arousal, which could have complex implications for reproductive health. Additionally, Olatunji-Bello et al. (2008) reported that the methanolic seed extract of Piper guineense inhibited fertility in female Sprague Dawley rats, raising concerns about its broader reproductive effects.

Despite these findings, research on the effects of Piper guineense in non-rodent species, such as rabbits, remains scarce. Given the unique physiological and reproductive characteristics of rabbits, it is essential to examine how this plant influences semen quality, organ weights, and histology in this species. Such insights could be valuable in understanding its potential benefits or risks in animal reproduction and veterinary medicine

This study aims to evaluate the impact of Piper guineense leaf administration on semen quality, organ weights, and histological changes in rabbits. By doing so, it seeks to contribute to a broader understanding of the plant’s reproductive effects across different species.

1.2 STATEMENT OF PROBLEM

Traditionally, Piper guineense has been used for its aphrodisiac and fertility-enhancing properties. Various rodent studies suggest it may have a positive impact on reproductive parameters, such as testicular weight, sperm quality, and testosterone levels. However, some research presents conflicting findings, with reports of potential adverse effects, including histopathological changes in the testes and disruptions in spermatogenesis. Despite these studies, most existing research is focused on rodents, leaving limited information on its effects in other species, particularly rabbits.

Rabbits play a crucial role in both agricultural and biomedical research due to their unique reproductive physiology. To determine whether Piper guineense serves as a natural fertility booster or poses risks to animal reproduction, it is essential to understand how it affects semen quality, organ weights, and histological structures in rabbits. However, the lack of comprehensive studies on its effects in this species makes it difficult to evaluate its safety, optimal dosage, and mechanism of action.

This study aims to bridge that knowledge gap by examining the effects of Piper guineense leaf administration on semen quality, organ weights, and histology in rabbits. The findings will provide valuable insights into its potential reproductive benefits or risks, contributing to its possible applications in veterinary medicine and animal husbandry.

1.3 AIM

The aim of this study is to evaluate the effects of Piper guineense leaf administration on semen quality, organ weights, and histological structures in rabbits.

1.4 OBJECTIVES

The specific objectives of this study are to:

1. Determine the effects of Piper guineense leaf administration on semen quality parameters in rabbits.
2. Assess the impact of Piper guineense on the organ weights of rabbits.