ABSTRACT
Objective: To explore the effects of aqueous extract from Phthirusa pyrifolia leaves (67 mg/kg body weight for 12 days) on the reproductive function of male Wistar rats through oral administration. Methods: Animals (n = 30), aged 13 weeks and weighing (378.5 ± 5.0) g, were housed in a vivarium under controlled environmental conditions [photoperiod of 12 h light/dark, temperature of (23 ± 1) °C] and were fed standard rations ad libitum. The experiment ran for 12 days, wherein animals were divided into three groups: negative control (n = 6) received water, positive control (n = 12) with finasteride at a concentration of 1.0 mg/kg; and a test group (n = 12) submitted to aqueous extract. At the end of the experiment, the animals were sacrificed and submitted to analyses. Results: The morphological results of the testes showed that the aqueous extract induced significant changes in the diameter and cross-sectional area of the seminiferous tubules as well as the thickness of the seminiferous epithelium. Furthermore, the extract was able to abruptly decrease testosterone concentrations by about 81.88% in the treated group when compared with the negative control, (47.0 ± 4.8) ng/dL and (255.0 ± 2.0) ng/dL, respectively, and 76.8%, (211.0 ± 8.7) ng/dL, when compared with finasteride. However, the extract causes neither liver damage nor impairment of renal function. Conclusions: These results suggest that the high amounts of flavonoids shown to be in the extract may be responsible for its hepato-protective effects and suggest a possible decrease in the libido and reproduction of rats.