Anti-spermatogenic Effects of Ethanol Extract of Mucuna Urens

Objective To investigate the age-long claim by the locales that the food thickener, M. urens seed, has antispermatogenic, hence, antifertility effects in man. Methods Eight-week old male Albino rats were used as the mammalian model for this study. They were assigned to four groups of 6 rats each and treatment with the ethanol extract was for a period of 14 d. The treatment regimes were 70 mg/kg, 140 mg/kg, 210 mg/kg and 0 mg/kg BW in groups A, B, C and D, respectively. Extracts were prepared by Soxhlet extraction using 80% ethanol as the extracting solvent. The stock solution was prepared by dissolving 1 g of the paste extract in 10 ml corn oil （vehicle） to make up 100 mg/ml concentration. At the end of the treatment, sperm from the distal caudal epididymis was collected and analyzed for sperm count, sperm motility and sperm morphology. Results Significant reduction was observed in sperm count and sperm motility （P〈0.05）. The mean sperm count for group A was 6.27±0.02×10^6, for group B was 6.16±0.02×10^6 and group C had 6.0±0.0×10^6 sperm cells The control （group D） had a mean sperm count of 6.50±0.09×10^6 which was higher than that of any treated group. Results of the sperm motility test gave the following mean rates for motile sperm cells after treatment： group A, 57.6±% 2.1; group B, 50.0±4.0; group C, 45.0±4.0. The control had the highest mean motility rate of 72.3±2.1. The observed sperm abnormalities included unusual head with large acrosome, looped tailpiece, mid piece with distal droplet, pin head, pyriform head and long hook.Conclusion The anti-spermatogenic effects of the extract on the sperm in the Albino rat may lead to reduction of fertility.

Studies on apoptosis of spermatogenic cells in normal fertile men treated with supraphysiological doses of testosterone undecanoate

Aim: To study the anti-spermatogenic mechanism of supra-physiological doses of testosterone undecanoate (TU).Methods: Twenty fertile adult men received four intramuscular injections of TU at monthly intervals, 1000 mg uponadmission and 500 mg for the subsequent injections. The apoptotic germ cells in the semen were studied under light mi-croscope with tenninal deoxynucleotidyl tmnsferase-mediated dUTP-biotin nick end labeling (TUNEL) and Wright-Giem-sa staining methods. Results: After treatment, the sperm density and the number of spermatogenic cells in the semenwere significantly decreased ( P < 0.01), while the apoptotic ratios of spermatocytes and spermatids increased significantly( P <0.01) as compared with the pretreatment levels. Apoptosis was found to be augmented in the whole series of castoffspennatogenic cells. Conclusion: Besides its suppressive effect on spermatogenesis through a negative feed-backmechanism, TU enhances apoptosis of spermatogenic cells, which may be an additional mechanism of its anti-spermato-genic activity. ( Asian J Androl 1999 Sep; 1: 155 - 158)

Antifertility effects of 60-day oral gavage of ethanol extract of Spondias mombin leaves in guinea pigs: A biochemical, reproductive and histological study

Objective:To investigate the impact of ethanol extract of Spondias(S.)mombin leaves on the biochemical parameters of testicular function,hormonal profile,sperm profile and reproductive outcomes of guinea pigs.Methods:Sexually matured male[(1000.40±8.12)g]and female[(810.00±7.09)g]guinea pigs were used.In testicular function study,a total of 24 male guinea pigs were randomised into 4 groups of 6 guinea pigs each.Group A(control)was orally administered 1 mL of physiological saline,once daily for 60 days while groups B,C and D were treated like the control group except that they were orally administered 100,250 and 500 mg/kg body weight of ethanol extract of S.mombin leaves.For the fertility study,the same animal groupings and treatments in the testicular function study were adopted.The male guinea pigs were paired with the females(1:1)and afterwards examined for pregnancy outcomes.Results:The ethanol extract of S.mombin leaves contained saponins,alkaloids,flavonoids,tannins,steroids,phenolics,phlobatannins,cardiac glycosides,cardenolides and dienolides with saponins(4.80 mg/mL)occurring the most whilst cardenolides and dienolides(0.08 mg/mL)were the least.The ethanol extract of S.mombin leaves significantly and dose dependently reduced the activities of alkaline phosphatase,glutamate dehydrogenase,3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase,malic enzyme,17-β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase,lactate dehydrogenase,catalase and superoxide dismutase as well as levels of testosterone,glycogen,total protein and ascorbic acid in the testes when compared with the control group(P<0.05).All the doses of ethanol extract of S.mombin leaves also reduced the levels of sorbitol dehydrogenase,3-β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase,glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase and sialic acid whereas the levels of testicular acid phosphatase,gamma glutamyl transferase and cholesterol increased dose dependently(P<0.05).The serum luteinising hormone,testosterone and estradiol were reduced after the administration of ethanol extract of S.mombin leaves whereas levels of serum follicle stimulating hormone increased significantly.The 100 and 200 mg/kg body weight of ethanol extract of S.mombin leaves increased the testosterone/estradiol ratios whilst the 500 mg/kg body weight of ethanol extract of S.mombin leaves decreased it.The sperm motility,sperm count,normal sperm morphology,sperm density,sperm viability and semen viscosity were significantly reduced in the ethanol extract of S.mombin leaves-treated guinea pigs(P<0.05)whereas the head-,tail-and neck-defects increased significantly when compared with the control group(P<0.05).In contrast,the semen volume and pH were not significantly altered by the ethanol extract of S.mombin leaves(P>0.05).The ethanol extract of S.mombin leaves at both 100 and 250 mg/kg body weight significantly reduced the total number,circumference,weight and length of the pups whereas the 500 mg/kg body weight of ethanol extract of S.mombin leaves-treated rats did not produce any pup.The 250 and 500 mg/kg body weight of ethanol extract of S.mombin leaves induced degenerative and necrotic changes in the seminiferous tubules with vacuoles in the germinal epithelium and a few to complete absence of spermatozoa.In all of these,the 500 mg/kg body weight of ethanol extract of S.mombin leaves produced the most pronounced alteration on the parameters.Conclusions:S.mombin leaves have induced infertility in the male guinea pigs via endocrine dysregulation,anti-spermatogenic activity,testicular dysfunction and oxidative stress and made possible by the presence of saponins,alkaloids,flavonoids,tannins,steroids,phenolics,and cardiac glycosides.