In vitro study of the effects of khat (Catha edulis Forsk) extract on isolated mouse interstitial cells (original) (raw)
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Aims of the study: Controversy surrounds on the effect of khat, a widely chewed herb for its stimulant effect on sexuality. This study investigated the effect of fresh Catha edulis F. (Khat) extract, synthetic cathinone and vehicle on reproductive parameters, including sexual motivation and performance, serum testosterone and cortisol levels, epididymal sperm count, and histoarchitecture of testis in male rats. Objective: This study investigated the effect of fresh Catha edulis Forsk (Khat, Celastraceae) extract, synthetic cathinone and vehicle on reproductive parameters, including sexual motivation and performance, serum testosterone and cortisol levels, epididymal sperm count, and histoarchitecture of testis in male rats. Materials and methods: Rats were treated with either Tween 80 (3%, v/v) in water, khat extract (100 mg/kg, K100; 200 mg/kg, K200; and 300 mg/kg, K300 doses) or cathinone (5 mg/kg, CAT5) intragastrically for four weeks and subjected to a battery of behavioral tests. Three days following the last administration, blood was drawn for hormonal analysis and the animals were sacrificed for sperm count and morphologicpathology studies. Results: K100 significantly decreased mount latency (ML) (p < 0.05) and intromission latency (IL) (p < 0.01) compared to controls. K200 whilst significantly reduced IL (p < 0.01) and intromission frequency (IF) (p < 0.01), increased postejaculatory latency (PEL) (p < 0.01). K300 significantly reduced IF (p < 0.01) and ejaculatory latency (EL) (p < 0.01), but increased mount frequency (MF), IL, PEL, and ML (p < 0.01, in all cases). With CAT5, MF (p < 0.05) and IL (p < 0.01) were significantly greater but EL and IF were lower (p < 0.05, in both cases) than controls. Serum levels of testosterone were doubled in K100 (p < 0.01), but a significant decrease was recorded in both K200 (18%, p < 0.01) and K300 (50%, p < 0.01) rats. Whereas K100 did not have any effect on cortisol levels, K200 and K300 significantly increased by 83% (p < 0.05) and 164.5% (p < 0.01), respectively. CAT5 affected neither serum testosterone nor cortisol levels. Khat extract demonstrated a dose-dependent decline in epididymal sperm count: 50% with K100 (p < 0.05), 78% with K200 (p < 0.01) and 89% with K300 (p < 0.01). CAT5 did not, however, produce any significant change in sperm count. Khat extract and cathinone did not produce any discernible damage on testis. Conclusion: Mild dose of khat improves sexual motivation, without much effect on performance. With increasing dose, however, both motivation and performance are reduced. Although testosterone levels correlated well with motivation, there was dissociation with sperm count, indicating optimum level might be required for normal spermatogenesis.
Anatomia, Histologia, Embryologia, 2020
The present study aimed at analysing the effect of Khat plant extract on rat testicular development. Thirty‐two weaned male albino rats (4 weeks old) were divided into four groups consisting of eight animals each. While control animals received normal saline, rats of groups I, II and III received 100, 200 and 300 mg Khat extract per kg body weight dissolved in distilled water by oral gavage daily for 8 weeks, respectively. Blood samples were collected in separate heparinized tubes by cardiac puncture from each rat and processed for measuring plasma levels of reproductive hormones LH, FSH, testosterone and prolactin. Five‐µm sections were stained with haematoxylin and eosin and examined by light microscope. Some sections were immunostained for protamine‐1 representing a biomarker for intact sperm differentiation. The present study clearly demonstrated that Khat extract has a pronounced effect on testicular maturation of developing albino rats at both the morphological and functional ...
Journal of …, 2008
Aim: This study investigated the effects of fresh khat extract on specific circulating hormones in male rabbits. Materials and methods: A total of 25 male New Zealand White rabbits were divided into five groups each comprising five animals. The first four groups were fed four doses (1.5 g/kg, 4.5 g/kg, 13.5 g/kg and 40.5 g/kg body weight) of khat extract twice a week for 5 weeks while the last group, serving as control, was fed only normal saline via intragastric tube. Blood samples were collected at 15 min interval for up to 3 h after khat extract administration and plasma assayed for luteinizing hormone (LH), testosterone and cortisol levels using radioimmunoassay technique. Results: Khat extract at all doses significantly lowered (P < 0.05) LH pulse frequency, area under LH curve, mean plasma LH and mean plasma testosterone levels. Plasma cortisol levels were significantly elevated (P < 0.05) in khat-treated rabbits in a dose-dependent manner. Conclusion: This study demonstrates that khat may impair reproductive function in male rabbits by interfering with sex hormone profiles.
The objective of this investigation was to assess the effects of ethanolic extract of Khaya senegalensis stem bark on some sperm parameters in male albino rats. Male rats were grouped into five: A, B, C, D and E. Group A (Control) was administered, orally, 1 ml of distilled water (vehicle), while B, C, D and E (test groups) were administered orally daily graded doses of 50, 100, 150 and 200 mg/kg body weight of the plant extract for 28 days respectively. The study showed a significant (P<0.05) dose-dependent decrease in testicular weight, total sperm count and sperm motility and a significant (P<0.05) increase in nonmotile spermatozoa and sperm abnormalities as compared to the control. This conformed to the histopathological findings in the testes which was characterized by depletion of spermatogenic cells and loss of architecture of the semineferous tubules. It was concluded that alterations brought about by the ethanolic extract of Khaya senegalensis stem bark are indicators of severe effects on the testes and on spermatogenic activity which could lead to infertility in males. KEYWORDS: Khaya senegalensis, ethanolic extract, reproduction, testes, albino rats
High khat dose and long-term exposure impairs spermatogenesis: experimental study using rabbit model
Journal of Morphological Sciences, 2017
Introduction: This study investigated short- and long-term effects of khat (Catha edulis) on hypophyseal, epididymal and testicular morphology, body weight and temperature changes and haematological parameters of rabbits. Materials and Methods: Twenty five male New Zealand White rabbits, divided into five groups were used. First four groups were administered, via intra-gastric tube, 1.5, 4.5, 13.5 and 40.5 g/kg body weight respectively of khat extract thrice a week for 8 weeks while controls received normal saline. Short-term and long-term effects were evaluated for hypophyseal, epididymal and testicular morphology, body temperature as well as body weight changes, food consumption and haematological parameters. Data on haematological parameters, body weight changes, body temperature and food consumption was done using one-way ANOVA at 95% confidence interval using SPSS version 12.0. Results: There was vacuolation in spermatogonia and spermatocytes at high doses while epididymides an...
The study of antifertility mechanisms of khat can be used to counteract the possible toxicities during pregnancy as abuse of khat is common in all segments of female population. The present study was initiated to assess the reversibility of antifertility effect and to evaluate the possible mechanisms of antifertility of the chloroform diethyl ether extract of Catha edulis. K300 exhibited significant decrease in the mean number of litters and mean birth weight of live litters compared to K100 and control group (CON) (p<0.01 in both cases). The anti-implantation and antifertility effects were reversible after a 21 day washout period. Post-implantation losses for K200 and K400 were 27% (p<0.01) and 30% (p<0.01), respectively. Maternal mortality in pregnant mice and morphological changes like massive leukocyte infiltration, necrosis and haemorrhage in rat uterus were observed in K400. No morphological changes were shown in ovary at all doses of the extract. Khat has antifertility effect with possibility of complete sterility in higher dose treated groups. The possible mechanisms include decreased serum estradiol concentration and massive leukocyte infiltration in uterus stroma cells. Khat use should be discouraged in female population especially during pregnancy. Key words: Catha edulis, anti-implantation, reversibility, mechanism, rodents.
Journal of Applied Life Sciences International, 2020
Khat, Catha edulis, use is rampant in Eastern Africa and Middle East countries with associated reports of reproductive function impairment in the body of the user. Reports on recovery post long-term khat exposure are obscure. The present study investigated evidence of restoration of testicular and epididymal structure and function during withdrawal from cytotoxic damage caused by sub-chronic exposure of khat extract. Twenty-eight male rabbits were divided into 7 groups of 4 rabbits each. Group I (control) was administered normal saline while groups II, III and IV were administered 1.0 g/kg, 10 g/kg and 20 g/kg body weight of khat extract, respectively, via oral gavage on alternate days of the week for 12 weeks. Blood samples from animals were collected for hormonal assays followed by euthanasia using 26.4 mg/kg body weight of Sagatal sodium intramuscularly for testicular and epididymal histology. Group V, VI and VII were administered 1.0 g/kg, 10 g/kg and 20 g/kg body weight of khat...
The biological effects of khat (Catha edulis) on reproduction and fertility are inadequately investigated and controversial, hence we determined the effects of oral administration of high-dose khat on sperm parameters and male hormonal levels in olive baboons. In this study, 6 male baboons received a high dose of khat (500 g/week) during 1 month. Electroejaculation for sperm studies (concentration, motility and chromatin integrity) and plasma collection for hormonal analysis (testosterone, prolactin and cortisol) were done weekly during 1 month before and 1 month during khat administration as well as 2 weeks after the last dose of khat administration. Administration of khat extract induced a significant reduction in sperm motility (p = 0.008), sperm count (p = 0.041), sperm chromatin integrity (p = 0.0003), testosterone levels (p = 0.035) and prolactin levels (p = 0.0115), but not in cortisol levels and sperm volume (p > 0.05). The results suggest that high-dose khat decreases sperm quality and testosterone and hence may contribute to male infertility.Copyright © 2012 S. Karger AG, Basel.
Effect of Catha edulis foresk (khat) extracts on male rat sexual behavior
Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 2007
Khat chewing is a widespread habit that has a deep-rooted socio-cultural tradition in East Africa and in the Middle East. Although a number of investigations have been carried out using cathinone, the psychoactive component of khat, these may not wholly reflect the behavioral effects observed after administering khat in a dosage similar to those used traditionally. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of sub-chronically administered khat extract with or without alcohol on sexual behavior in female rats. Adult albino female rats were administered either with khat extracts (100, 200, 400mg/Kg), amphetamine (1mg/Kg), ethanol (2, 10%), or a combination of khat and ethanol (2%+10%) by intra-gastric gavage orally for 15 days. Both (200, 400mg/Kg) doses of khat extract treated female rats demonstrated a statistically significant decrease in both receptivity and proceptivity behavior. Although low dose of the extract increased female sexual behavior, it was not statistically significant. Similar results were obtained when khat extract (200mg/Kg) followed after 30 minutes by ethanol (10%) was administered despite the inhibitory effect observed when each drug was administered alone. From the present study it can concluded that higher doses of the extract inhibit sexual behavior in female rats.
Effect of aqueous extracts of khaini on fertility of adult male albino rats
The use of tobacco without burning is referred as smokeless tobacco use. Smokeless tobacco use has been increased rapidly throughout the world including India. In India khaini is one of the popular form of smokeless tobacco. Smokeless tobacco produces oxidative tissue damage and apoptosis. Sperm is highly susceptible to oxidative damage. This study was undertaken in order to assess the effect of chronic treatment of khaini on fertility of male albino rats. In our present investigation treatment of rat with extract of khaini significantly reduced concentration, motility and viability of epididymal sperm. Fertility and fecumdity of male albino rat was significantly less in khaini treated group than untreated counterpart. Results of biochemical analysis showed significant decrease of antioxidant, ascorbic acid level in testis and decrease activity of enzyme super oxide dismutase both in testis and sperm. Khaini extract induced decrease of male fertility may be due to alteration of sperm indices from khaini-induced decrease potentiality of testicular antioxidant system. The obtained result conclude that smokeless tobacco khaini is detrimental to the reproductive potentials of male rats.