70 X INDIAN JOURNAL OF APPLIED RESEARCH
Volume : 5 | Issue : 9 | September 2015 | ISSN - 2249-555X
ReseaRch PaPeR
Adverse effects of repeated doses of Ivermectin
alone or with the combination of vitamin C on
reproductive system of female rabbits
Khawla Bedan Al-Jassim
Veterinary hospital in Basra, Basra, Iraq
Ala Al-Deen Hassan Jawad Eman Aboud Al-Masoudi
Department of Basic Science, college of Dentistry,
University of Basra, Basra. Iraq.
Department of Physiology, Pharmacology and
Chemistry, College of Veterinary Medicine, University
of Basra, Basra, Iraq
Medical Science
Keywords
Ivermectin, Vitamin C, Hormone, Fertility,Female Rabbits.
ABSTRACT This study was designed to investigate the effect of repeated administration of Ivermectin alone or with
combination of vitamin C on sexual hormones.Besides, an attempt had been done to demonstrate the
effect of ivermectinon fertility and pregnancy efficacy of female rabbits. Ninety sixmature female rabbits were used in
this study and two experiment had been done. Each experiment were divided into8 groups of equal number(6) as fol-
lows: group onewas administered 0.9% Nacl which act as control, Group two, three& fourwere administered (0.5mg/
Kg, 1mg/Kg, 2mg /Kg B.W Ivermectin)respectively, Group fivewas administered 50mg/Kg B.W vitamin C only, Group
six, seven & eight were administered 50mg/Kg vitamin C in addition to Ivermectin (0.5mg, 1mg, 2mg respectively).The
Ivermectin was given S/C weekly, while vitamin C was given daily P.O. for 8weeks.
The results showed significant decrease (P˂ 0.05) in Estradiol level in 3rd , 4th , 6th , 7th& 8th groups, while proges-
terone level clarified significant increase (P˂0.05) in 5th& 7th groups, the FSH level postulated significant increase
(P˂0.05) in 4th , 5th& 6th groups, meanwhile, the LH level did not show significant difference in all treated groups as
compared with the control group. The results of fertility study revealed adverse effect of ivermectin therapy on fertility
and block the pregnancy in all treated group except the fifth group which administered vitamin C only as compared
with control group and their effect persistent in second mating in intermediate dose(1mg/Kg Ivermectin) and high dose
(2mg/Kg Ivermectin) groups alone and with combination with vitamin C. In conclusion: Ivermectin has adverse effects
on reproductive efficacy on female rabbits, as well as, the vitamin C hasnot well emphasized beneficial effects on re-
production.
Introduction
Ivremectin is a semisynthetic macrocyclic lactone and acts
as abroad spectrum antiparasitic drug against many in-
ternal and external parasites (1). It consists of a mixture
of two compound 22,23 dihydroavermectin B1a(H2B1a)
and 22,23 dihydroavermectin B1b(H2B1b), Moreover, it
contains no less than 80% H2B1a and no more than 20%
H2B1b (2). Others studies has been used vitamin A and
E in combination of ivermectin (3).The literature survey
showed that ivermectin determined effect on the repro-
ductive performance of ewe during the breeding season
(4). However, many studies showed an adverse effects of
ivermectin om male reproductive system such us on goat
(5), bull (6), ram (7). little researches had been published
on adverse effect of ivermectin on female reproduction,
as well as, up to our knowledge no previous studies had
been done on ivermectin with vitamin C combination, so
it was deemed of interest to investigate the effect of re-
peated administration of ivermectin on reproductive sys-
tem of female rabbits and also to highlight whether the
combination of vitamin C with ivermectin has ameliorative
effect.
Materials and Methods
The Ivermectin 10% purchased from local market (VET
Product Office, KIPRO Company, Holland) and Vitamin C
500mg (AlShahba Labo, Syria).The FSH, LH & progester-
one were done according to appropriate Elisa kit from Hu-
man, GmbH Ltd. Germany, while Estradiol from Monobind
Inc. lake Forest,CA92630, USA.
Animal housing
Ninety six mature female rabbits (Lepus cuniculus), (1200-
2000gm) body weight and (8-12 months) of age were
brought from local market in Basra Province/ Iraq. The
rabbits were housed (6 rabbits / cage) in a wire silk cag-
es measuring (100 X 50 X 50 cm) under controlled ani-
mal house condition at temperature (25 ± 3 Co) and rela-
tive humidity (50 ± 5 % ) in the animal house of Veterinary
Medicine College in Basra University. The rabbits were
kept under observation for one months. The animals were
offered add libtium a rabbit’s diet, green leaves, alfalfa,
and water.
Experimental Design
Two experiments had been done:
I-Hormonal Experiment
Forty eight mature female rabbits were divided into eight
groups (6 rabbits in each group). Each group was treated
for 8week as follow: Group one :Injected (0.9 % NaCl)
which acts as a control, Group two: Injected (0.5 mg/
kg B.W Ivermectin),Group three: Injected (1mg/kg B.W
Ivermectin),Group four: Injected (2 mg/kg B.W Ivermectin),
Group five : administered 50mg/ Kg B.W Vitamin C only,
Group six : Injected (0.5 mg/Kg B.W Ivermectin +50mg/kg
B.W Vit.C), Group seven: Injected (1mg/kg B.W Ivermectin +
50mg/Kg B.W Vit. C), and Group eight: Injected (2mg/ Kg
B.W Ivermectin +50mg/kg B.W Vit. C).The Ivermectin were
given subcutaneously and weekly, while vitamin C were giv-
en daily and orally. At the end of experiment (8 Weeks), the
blood samples were taken directly from the heart by using
