Impact of Hydroalcoholic Extract of Humulus Lupulus L. on Sperm Quality, Reproductive Organs and Hormones in Male Rats / 中国结合医学杂志

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE@#To investigate the impact of Humulus Lupulus L. hydroalcoholic extract on the body weights, reproductive organs, sperm quality and hormone levels in male rats.@*METHODS@#By simple random sampling method, seventy male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly assigned to 7 groups including control group [distilled water, 1 mL/(kg•d)], Tween 80 group [25% Tween 80 solution, 1 mL/(kg•d)], olive oil group [olive oil, 1 mL/(kg•d)], diethyl stilbestrol (DES) group [DES, 100 μg/(kg•body weight)], H50, H150 and H450 [50, 150 and 400 mg/(kg•d) of Humulus Lupulus L extract, respectively]. The administration was performed via gavage once daily for 7 weeks. Body and reproductive organs weights including testes, seminal vesicles, epididymis and prostate were weighted and epididymal sperm quality were determined by digital balance. Blood samples were collected and serum free testosterone (T), luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), and estrogen (E2) levels were measured by rat specific enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.@*RESULTS@#The percentage increase in mean body weights of rats in the DES and H50, H150 and H450 groups decreased significantly compared to olive oil and Tween 80 groups (all P0.05).@*CONCLUSION@#Humulus Lupulus L. extract significantly increased the seminal vesicle and testes weights and reduced the sperm motility.