Antispermatogenic activity of Morinda lucida extract in male rats

Aim： To investigate the effect of Morinda lucida Benth （Rubiaceae） on the reproductive activity of male albino rats. Methods： Two groups of rats were treated with 400 mg/（kg.d） of Morinda lucida leaf extract for 4 and 13 weeks, respectively. The control rats received the vehicle. All the treated rats had corresponding recovery groups. At the end of each experimental period, animals were killed and organ weights, sperm characteristics, serum testosterone levels, histology of the testes and fertility were assessed. Results： Morinda lucida leaf extract did not cause any changes in body and somatic organ weights, but significantly increased the testis weight （P 〈 0.05）. The sperm motility and viability, and the epididymal sperm counts of rats treated for 13 weeks were significantly reduced （P 〈 0.05）. Sperm morphological abnormalities and serum testosterone levels were significantly increased （P 〈 0.05）. There were various degrees of damage to the seminiferous tubules. The extract reduced the fertility of the treated rats by reducing the litter size. Reversal of these changes, however, occurred after a period of time. Conclusion： The extract of Morinda lucida has reversible antispermatogenic properties.

Antioxidant defense system induced by cysteinestabilized peptide fraction of aqueous extract of Morinda lucida leaf in selected tissues of Plasmodium berghei-infected mice

OBJECTIVE： This study evaluated the responses of some antioxidant parameters in selected tissues of Plasmodium berghei-infected mice treated with cysteine-stabilized peptide fraction（CSPF） of aqueous extract of Morinda lucida leaf.METHODS：Fifty-six mice were randomly divided into seven groups.Group A（normal control）was uninfected and received 5%dimethyl sulfoxide（DMSO）.Mice in Groups B（negative control）,C,D,E and F were inoculated with P.berghei NK65 and were administered with 5%DMSO and 15.63,31.25,61.5 and 125 mg/kg body weight of CSPF respectively.Group G animals,were also inoculated with P.berghei NK65,and received 20 mg/kg body weight of chloroquine.The administration lasted for three days,after which malondialdehyde（MDA）concentration and various antioxidant parameters in selected tissues of mice were determined on days 4 and 8 postinoculation.RESULTS：The results revealed that MDA concentration was significantly increased（P〈0.05）in the tissues of the negative control and chloroquine-treated groups.The increased MDA concentration was reduced by CSPF in a dose-dependent manner,which was significant（P〈0.05）at higher doses.The activities of superoxide dismutase,catalase,glutathione peroxidase,glutathione reductase and glutathioneS-transferase and the concentration of reduced glutathione were significantly reduced（P〈0.05）in the tissues of the negative control animals compared to the normal controls.This observed reduction in the negative control animals was reverted in a dose-dependent manner in infected animals given CSPF,even to the range of the normal controls at highest dose,as did chloroquine.CONCLUSION：The results suggest that CSPF of M.lucida leaf extract may induce the antioxidant defense system in vivo against Plasmodium species infection.