ABSTRACT
Background and Purpose: Sperm count and their productivity are dependent on the levels of blood androgenic hormones. Also, it is likely that the Centella asiatica extract can affect the levels of hormones affecting spermatogenesis. Therefore, this study was conducted to determine the effect of Centella asiatica extract on serum levels of testosterone, FSH and LH in male Wistar rat.
Methods and Materials: In this experimental study, 40 adult male albino Wistar rats were divided into 5 groups: an untreated control, sham receiving a solvent medium and the remaining three groups [experimental groups 1 to 3] which received 10 mgkg-1, 50 mgkg-1 and 80 mgkg-1 Centella asiatica extract every day for 40 days. Twenty four hours after the last administration of extract, 3-4 ml of blood samples were collected from every rat by aspiration from heart ventricle, and their serum concentrations of FSH, LH and testosterone were measured using radioimmunoassay method. The obtained data were analyzed in SPSS13 using one-way ANOVA and Tukey test
Results: The mean and standard deviation of testosterone the control and sham groups were 16.4 +/- 2.18 and 14.1 +/- 0.09 respectively; in the experimental groups [10, 50 and 80 mg/kg], these were 15+/-1.32, 9.8 +/- 0.05 and 8.4 +/- 0.31 nanoM/l respectively. Mean testosterone level in rats receiving 50 mgkg-1 and 80 mgkg-1 Centella asiatica extract were significantly lower than the control groups [p=0.001, P=0.008] and sham groups [p=0.001, P=0.003]; also, it reduced in comparison with the experimental group receiving 10 mgkg-1 Centella asiatica extract [p=0.02, P=0.004]. The difference between the two groups receiving 50 and 80 mgkg-1 Centella asiatica extract was not significant [p=0.09]. The concentration of FSH and LH in all experimental groups was not significantly different from both control and sham groups [p>0.05]
Conclusion: By affecting Leydig cells and causing disorder in the levels of testosterone, sperm count, and by affecting epididymis, centella Asiatica alcoholic extract can reduce the motility and productivity of sperms
ABSTRACT
Direct contact between a sperm cell and cryopreservation solution has detrimental effects on the cell. In this study the role of the epididymal tissue in the preservation of direct contact between sperm cell and cryopreservation solution during a freeze-thaw process was studied by assessing motility and vitality of the sperm. About 30 male mice were killed and the right caudal epididymis were removed and placed in cryo-preservation solution for two minutes. The samples were exposed to liquid nitrogen vapor for ten minutes and then immersed in liquid nitrogen. The left caudal epididymis were similarly removed and placed in T6 medium. In order to extract sperm, samples were needled and incubated for 1 hour at 37°C. Subsequently, sperm motility and vitality were assessed as control group and then the remaining solution was transmitted into a tube containing cryopreservation solution. For thawing, samples were picked up from a liquid nitrogen tank and kept in room temperature for 20 seconds and then immersed in warm water [37°C] for 2 minutes. Thereafter, sperm motility and vitality were assessed. The survival rates of the three groups [control, outer and inner epididym] were 78.75 +/- 13.01, 34.67 +/- 7.86 and 9.97 +/- 7.08, respectively. The statistical analysis has shown that the difference between the inner and outer epididym was significant [P<0.05]. The progressive motility of sperms in the three groups was 30.29 +/- 15.33, 3.29 +/- 3.55 and 0.00 +/- 0.00, respectively. The progressive motility of sperms in the inner and outer epididym was less than the control group [P<0.05], but there was no significant difference between the inner and outer groups [P=0.344]. The non-progressive motility of sperms in the three groups was 34.72 +/- 12.21, 29.21 +/- 10.37 and 6.78 +/- 4.94, respectively. The statistical analysis has shown that the difference between the control and outer groups and also between the control and inner groups was significant [P<0.05] but the difference between the inner and outer groups was not significant. The quality of cryopreserved-thawed sperm in the outer epididym group was significantly better than in the inner epididym group. In this study we can conclude that the epididym has no protective effect on sperm during cryopreserved processing