ABSTRACT
Background: Opioid consumption has been widely increasing across the globe; however, it can cause adverse effects on the body. Morphine, an opioid, can reduce sex hormones and fertility. Withania somnifera [WS] is a traditional herb used to improve sexual activities. This study strives to investigate the effect of WS on sex hormones and gonadotropins in addicted male rats
Materials and Methods: In this experimental study, forty-eight male National Maritime Research Institute [NMRI] rats were randomly divided into four groups: i. Control group, ii. WS-treated control group, iii. Addicted group, and iv. WS-treated addicted group. Water-soluble morphine was given to rats for 21 days to induce addiction, concurrently the treated groups [2 and 4] also received WS plantmixed pelleted food [6.25%]. At the end of the treatment, the sex hormone and gonadotropin levels of the rats' sera were deter- mined in all the groups
Results: Except for follicle-stimulating hormone [FSH], morphine reduced most of the gonadotropin and sex hormone levels. Whereas WS caused a considerable increase in the hormones in the treated addicted group, there was only a slight increase in the treated control group
Conclusion: WS increased sex hormones and gonadotropins-especially testosterone, estrogen, and luteinizing hormone-in the addicted male rats and even increased the progesterone level, a stimulant of most sex hormones in addicted male rats