Green Coconut (Cocosnucifera) Water Increases serum level of Some Reproductive Hormones in Hyperprolactin-infertile Female Sprague- Dawley Rats

Hyperprolactinaemia affects about one-third of infertile women worldwide. The major hormonal implication seen during hyperprolactinaemia is low production of estrogen as prolactin is reported to inhibit follicular estradiol production in the ovary. The water from an immature green coconut fruit contains sterol which is known to be involved in the synthesis of steroid hormones in vivo. Thus, this study was carried out to evaluate the serum level of some reproductive hormones in hyperprolactin-induced infertile rats treated with green coconut water. One hundred and twenty-five cyclic female Sprague-Dawley rats were used for this study. The experiment was divided into 6 experimental study groups (I- VI). In experimental study group I, animals were induced with hyperprolactinaemia and withdrawn to check for natural recovery. Experimental study group II animals were posttreated with green coconut water and group III animals were the co-administered group. In experimental group IV, animals were pre-treated prior to the induction of infertility and group V animals received green coconut water only. Experiment VI is the control group and the animals received distilled water only. The result showed that green coconut water causes significant decrease in serum prolactin level and increases in serum estrogen, luteinizing hormone and follicle stimulating hormone levels in the post-treated group. The findings from this study depict clearly that green coconut water is a promising substance in regulating endocrine secretion of reproductive hormones in hyperprolactin female Sprague-Dawley rat.

Key Words: Hyperprolactinaemia, Prolactin, Estrogen, Follicle stimulating hormone, Luteinizing hormone