Male rat hormone imbalance, testicular changes and toxicity associated with aqueous leaf extract of an antimalarial plant: Phyllanthus niruri (original) (raw)
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Antimalarial plants with potential male-factor antifertility properties
Journal of Complementary and Integrative Medicine, 2019
Malaria, caused mainly byPlasmodium falciparumamong otherPlasmodiumspecies, is one of the main causes of death from parasitic diseases. Malaria is still a health problem mainly because of the cost of effective antimalarial drugs and the growing parasite resistance to conventional antimalarial drugs, making a great proportion of the people in malaria endemic countries dependent on plants for its treatment. Corollary, a large number of the rural populations consume antimalarial herbal preparations in large or excessive quantities despite the fact that it has been reported that some of them could cause male-factor infertility, a growing global health concern. Few studies have compiled information on the scientifically validated male-factor antifertility effects of these antimalarial plant remedies. The aim of this review therefore is to compile information on commonly used antimalarial plant remedies that have been experimentally validated as having male-factor antifertility effects. T...
Reproductive parameters of male rats treated with Pavetta crassipes K.Schum. aqueous leaf extract
Journal of Pharmacy & Pharmacognosy Research, 2019
Context: There is a growing concern about induction of male infertility resulting from medicinal plant use especially in malaria treatment. Carica papaya and Azadirachta indica are plants with documented antimalarial and anti-fertility effects. Pavetta crassipes leaves are reported to have antimalarial effects but there is no information about its reproductive toxicology. Aim: To evaluate the effects of P. crassipes aqueous leaf extract on male reproductive parameters. Methods: Healthy adult male rats were used for this study. The extract was administered orally at 400, 800 and 1600 mg/kg for two and four weeks, respectively while the control group received 10 mL/kg distilled water. Blood samples were collected for serum hormonal assay. The testes and epididymis were excised for histological examination and seminal fluid analysis. Results: Serum testosterone, follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH) levels reduced significantly in all treated groups compared t...
2020
Background: Ovary is one of the major parts of female reproductive system and it produces the ovum under the influence of gonadotropin hormones. Any factor that alters the anatomical structure and the physiological functions of the ovary will consequently affect female fertility. Therefore, this study evaluated the effects of a polyherbal antimalarial drug Super7 on female Wister rats’ovarian histology. Methods: acute toxicity and lethality studies as well as the phytochemical analysis of Super7 were done. For the histology study, the rats were randomly allocated into four groups I IV (n = 7). Groups I – III received 507.3 mg/kg body weight, 1,014.6 mg/kg body weight and 2,029.2 mg/kg body weight of Super7 respectively. Group IV rats served as the controls and received 5 ml/kg body weight of distilled water. Treatments were administered daily for 30 days after which two rats were selected from each group and sacrificed by cervical dislocation. The ovaries were quickly isolated and p...
Advances in Environmental Biology, 2015
Averrhoa bilimbi (AB), Cosmos caudatus (CC) and Pereskia bleo (PB) are among the local plants in Malaysia enriched with plant secondary compounds scientifically proven to contain high value in medical pharmacology. This study involving these three selected plants was conducted to analyses the plasma testosterone concentration and testis histological features of mice supplemented with four different concentrations (50, 125, 500 and 1000 mg/kg b. wt) of AB, CC and PB ethanolic extract. There was a significant reduction in plasma testosterone level across all AB treatment groups (177.83±0.03pg/ml, 266.07±0.05pg/ml, 281.84±0.03pg/ml and 277.07±0.00 pg/ml, respectively) compared to control group (515.82±0.01pg/ml), in both 50 and 500mg/kg b. wt of CC (546.39±0.03pg/ml and 728.62±0.04, respectively), and in 50, 125 and 1000mg/kg b. wt of PB ethanolic extracts (375.84±0.05pg/ml, 865.96±0.03pg/ml and 473.15±0.01pg/ml, respectively). All concentrations of AB extract (206.77±5.51μm, 194.29±4.25μm, 202.92±3.34μm and 207.34±6.34μm, respectively) and 50 and 500 mg/kg b. wt of PB extract (212.30±5.57μm and 214.70±4.31μm, respectively) seem to reduce the diameter of seminiferous tubules, while comparing to the control (236.81±7.07μm). The lumen diameter in the seminiferous tubules also decreases in 125mg/kg b. wt of AB (70.14±3.09μm), 1000mg/kg b. wt of CC (73.47±2.80μm) and in the 50 and 125 mg/kg b. wt of PB extracts (72.65±3.99μm and 78.54±3.85μm, respectively). The spermatogenic cells in Figure1: C1, B2, C2, D2, E2, B3, C3 and E3 were packed and improved as compared to Figure 1A. The degeneration of spermatocyte and spermatogonia layer was also observed (Figure 1: B1, C1, D1, E1, D2, B3, C3, D3 and E3).
Medicinal Plants as a Potential Source of Male Contraceptive Agents
Madridge Journal of Pharmaceutical Research, 2017
To control the population explosion in the world, new methods of contraception involving men is an attractive alternative. Since ancient times, plants and plant based products have been used as a valuable and safe natural source of medicines for treating various ailments. India possesses a vast reserve of medicinal plants which have been used extensively in the treatment of various diseases. The reversibility of antifertility effects of plants and its active components, play a major role in development of male contraceptive agents. The present review attempts to discuss medicinal effects of plant derived products on male reproductive system.
Testicular toxicity of aqueous extract of Phyllanthus niruri in male Wistar rat
Most of the traditional medicine and their preparations have not been scientifically evaluated, thus limited information is available about their pharmacokinetic, efficacy and safety. The objective of the present study was to elucidate the level of testicular toxicity caused by aqueous extract of Phyllanthus niruri and its commercial formulation. Adult male Wistar rats (150 – 200 gm) were divided in three groups. Control group was given distilled water, P. niruri group was given Phyllanthus niruri whole plant extract (1000 mg/kg bw) orally for 20 days and Nirocil (market formulation of P. niruri) treated group received Nirocil tablet in distilled water (200 mg/kg bw) orally for 20 days. Antioxidant status of testes was assessed by determining the activities of antioxidant enzymes, Superoxide dismutase (SOD), Catalase (CAT), Glutathione peroxidase (GPx), Gluthione S-transferase (GST), Glutathione reductase (GRD) as well as by determining the levels of reduced GSH and levels of lipid peroxides. P. niruri treated and Nirocil treated rats showed significant increase in lipid peroxidation level compared to control. The antioxidant status was also altered in both the treated groups. Thus our study demonstrated that the aqueous extract of P. niruri and its market formulation could cause oxidative stress in experimental animals leading to testicular toxicity.
Malaria is a scourge of the tropical region of the world, affecting mostly the poor who cannot afford the World Health Organisation (WHO) recommended artemisinin combination therapy. This results in the continuous reliance on herbal remedies for the treatment of the disease. Hippocratea africana is one of the herbs used traditionally for the treatment of malaria in South Eastern region of Nigeria. Testosterone concentration and testicular histomorphology were assayed to assess the effect of the herb on male reproductive function. Experimental groups were formed as follows; control group 1 administered 1ml of distilled water and test groups II, II and IV administered 100, 200, and 300 mg/kg body weight of the root bark extract. One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Student's Test (t-test) were used for statistical analyses. The result showed significant (p < 0.05) increase in the concentration of testosterone in all the test groups compared with the control in a dose dependent manner. There was no evidence of pathology on the photomicrographs of the testes of all the test groups compared with the control. The results show that the herb did not cause lesions and degenerative changes in the testes and improved testicular steriodogenesis and so maybe safe for its use as an antiplasmodial agent.
Antifertility effect of chronically administered Martynia annua root extract on male rats
J Ethnopharmacol, 2002
The effects of 50% ethanol extract of Martynia annua L. root on reproduction was studied on male rats. The study was divided into four groups of five animals each. The first group (I) received vehicle alone to serve as control. The second, third and fourth groups (II, III and IV) of animals were administered the root extract daily at 50 mg/kg body weight, po, 100 mg/kg body weight, po, and 200 mg/kg body weight, po, respectively, for a period of 60 days. Significant decreases in the weights of testes, epididymides, seminal vesicle and ventral prostate were observed. A dose related reduction in the testicular sperm count, epididymal sperm count and motility, number of fertile males, ratio between delivered and inseminated females and number of pups were observed. The testis showed a clear correlation between the dose and severity of lesions of seminiferous epithelium. In general, the seminiferous tubules appear reduced in size with a frequently filled eosinophilic material. Spermatogenesis arrested at the secondary spermatocyte stage. Pachytene spermatocytes were undergoing degeneration. Disorganisation and sloughing of immature germ cells were visible. Leydig cells were atrophied. No morphological changes were observed in Sertoli cells. Significant reduction in serum concentration of luteinising hormone and testosterone were observed. No distinct change in serum FSII concentration was recorded. The final body weights of all groups were elevated markedly. No alterations were recorded in any hematological parameters. It is concluded that the 50% ethanol extract of M. annua root produced dose related effects on male reproduction without altering general body metabolism.
Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 2014
Ethnopharmacological relevance: In Brazil, a phytotherapeutic preparation produced from a standardized tincture of Cinchona calisaya Weddel such that each mL of product contains 400 mg of quinine, known in Portuguese as Água Inglesa s (English water), is indicated by the manufacturer as a tonic, appetite stimulant, and digestive. However, this preparation has long been used in folk medicine as a female fertility stimulant. Despite its widespread use in folk medicine to stimulate female fertility, no study has been undertaken to assess the potential teratogenic and genotoxic effects of this phytotherapeutic preparation. The aim of the present study was to investigate possible toxic reproductive effects in mice caused by exposure to Água Inglesa s , either before mating or during the pre-and post-embryo implantation periods. The genotoxic potential was evaluated using the micronucleus assay. Material, Methods, and Results: Virgin female mice, with at least one estrous cycle evidenced by vaginal cytology, were divided into five groups of 15 individuals each (Group Icontrol, Group IItreated with ethanol solution at 16%, Groups III, IV and V treated with phytotherapeutic preparation at 1.5 mL/kg/day, 3.0 mL/kg/day and 4.5 mL/kg/day, respectively). After the first 28 days of treatment, females were caged individually with adult fertile males. Pregnant females continued to receive treatment for seven days (preimplantation period). Body weight was recorded weekly during treatment. Signs of toxicity (weight loss, food intake, piloerection, apathy, prostration, diarrhea, seizures, behavioral changes, and locomotion) were also observed. The females were sacrificed on the 15th day of pregnancy, uterine horns were evaluated for implantation, and the placental index was recorded. In the micronucleus test, 2000 polychromatic erythrocytes (PCE) per animal, obtained from bone marrow, were scored. Results The results showed that exposure of the females during the pre-and post-implantation periods did not significantly alter the reproductive capacity (p o0.05); however, in higher dose (three times human dose)reduction of fetal weight was observed . There was no difference between the control and phytotherapeutic preparation (p40.05) in terms of the average number of micronucleated polychromatic erythrocytes. Conclusions: Although folk medicine suggests that the Água Inglesa s preparation is useful as a female fertility stimulant, no such effect was confirmed in mice.
Male reproductive toxic effect of Quassia amara: observations on mouse sperm
Quassia amara is a medicinal plant with several pharmacological properties. More recently, it has come to be known in the context of its potential biopesticidal application and the antimalarial property in two of its secondary metabolites, quassin and neo-quassin. There are also preliminary reports implicating this plant in male reproductive toxic effects, to the extent that the plant could as well be tested for male contraceptive efficacy. Therfore, we subjected the methanolic extract of the bark of this tree for male reproductive toxicological evaluation. This paper reports several derangements in the cauda epididymidal sperm including a hitherto unreported one.