The effect of some traditionally extracted edible seed oils (sesame, peanut and melon oils) on some sex hormones - prolactin, progesterone, testosterone, estradiol, luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) of albino Wistar rats was studied. Sixty (30 - 50 g) weanling rats (20 males and 40 females) were purchased and housed separately until they weighed 120 to 150 g. Afterwards, the rats were cohabited in a mating ratio of 1 male : 2 females respectively, to give rise to 10 groups (n = 6), and fed rat chow (control), rat chow supplemented with 5, 10 and 20% sesame oil, 5, 10 and 20% peanut oil or 5, 10 and 20% melon oils, respectively. The animals were observed and pregnant females were separated into individual cages, allowed to litter and after weaning; the parent male and female rats were sacrificed and blood samples collected for hormonal assays. The results indicate that 5 and 10% supplemented seed oils caused significant increase (p < 0.05) in prolactin level (with a corresponding decrease in progesterone), LH, estradiol and testosterone relative to the controls. This favourable impact on endocrine environment suggests that the consumption of these seed oils, especially sesame oil, may enhance fertility.

 

Key words: Sesame oil, peanut oil, melon oil, sex hormones.