EVALUATION OF SOME REPRODUCTIVE HORMONES AND LIVER ENZYMES AMONGST MALE CANNABIS SATIVA SMOKERS IN BENIN CITY, NIGERIA
Abstract
Author(s): Osadolor, B.Humphrey, Orhue E.Samuel.
Cannabis sativa is an annual herbaceous plant intended for use as a psychoactive drug. The chemical compound (cannabinoid) in the plant Cannabis abused is assumed to be the cause a lot of medical con ditions. There is paucity of information on the effects of this herb on certain reproductive hormones and liver enzymes, therefore this study is aimed at accessing the liver function, Hormonal activities and pancreatic amylase activities in male Cannabis smokers in Benin City. Samples were collected from two hundred (n=200) subjects which served as Cannabis smokers group and another one hundred (n=100) control as non-Cannabis smokers group. Samples were analyzed using Reflotron Plus for Liver function test and Pancreatic Amylase and Stat Fax 4200 ELISA System for Hormonal profile. From this study, Liver function tests ALT, AST,GGT and ALP were higher in smokers than non-smokers (P < 0.01), except for P-amylase which showed no significant difference (P > 0.05). Testosterone, FSH, LH and TSH levels were lower in smokers than non-smokers (P<0.001).It is therefore concluded that smoking Cannabis may cause elevation of liver enzymes, reduce serum TSH and can significantly depress serum testosterone concentration in males and this could significantly contribute to male infertility.
