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Effect of Semecarpus anacardium fruits on reproductive function of male albino rats Arti Sharma1, Pramod Kumar Verma2, V.P. Dixit2 1Department of Zoology,
Raj Rishi Colloge, Alwar (Raj) 301001, India Asian J Androl 2003 Jun; 5: 121-124 Keywords:
|
Group |
Fertility |
Sperm
Motility |
Sperm
Density |
1
(control) |
100 |
71.71.1 |
49.45.7 |
2 |
Nil |
63.94.3 |
17.50.7c |
3 |
Nil |
40.13.9c |
17.02.1c |
4 |
Nil |
48.43.5c |
18.52.7c |
3.2 Blood analysis
Blood variables i.e. RBC, WBC, haemoglobin, haematocrit, blood sugar and urea were found within the normal ranges after S. anacardium treatment.
3.3 Biochemical finding
Glycogen, cholesterol, protein and sialic acid contents were decreased significantly (P<0.01) in testes of animals treated with the plant extract in comparison to the controls. There was a 50 % reduction in seminal vesicle fructose at 100 mg and 300 mg doses and a 52 % reduction at 100 mg dose in comparison to controls (Table 2).
Table 2. Tissue biochemistry (in mg/g). cP<0.01, compared with controls.
Group |
Testis |
Seminal
Vesicle |
|||
Glycogen |
Cholesterol |
Protein |
Sialic
Acid |
||
1
(control) |
2.50.13 |
7.80.20 |
227.02.9 |
4.60.1 |
4.80.2 |
2 |
1.90.1c |
4.80.5c |
201.05.6c |
3.90.5c |
2.40.12c |
3 |
1.60.1c |
4.40.5c |
194.41.1c |
3.80.1c |
2.30.1c |
4 |
1.30.1c |
3.70.5c |
196.63.3c |
3.90.1c |
2.40.1c |
3.4 Histological observation
S. anacardium fruit crude extract caused depletions in various germinal cell and Leydig cell components at 100 mg, 200 mg and 300 mg dose levels. The number of spermatogonia was decreased by 52.9 %, 19.3 % and 29.8 % at 100 mg, 200 mg and 300 mg doses, respectively. Primary spermatocytes (preleptotene and pachytene), secondary spermatocytes and spermatids were reduced significantly in all the treatment groups (Table 3). Increased number of abnormal seminiferous tubules was observed at all the dose levels. There were 29.4 %, 27.4 % and 47.9 % reductions in the Leydig cell nuclear area at 100 mg, 200 mg and 300 mg doses, respectively. The number of mature Leydig cells was decreased, and the degenerating cells increased (P< 0.01) in comparison to controls (Table 4).
Table 3. Testicular cells. bP<0.05, cP<0.01, compared with controls.
Group |
Preleptotene
spermatocytes |
Pachytene
spermatocytes |
Secondary
spermatocytes |
Round
spermatids |
1
(control) |
17.30.6 |
22.68.5 |
69.03.3 |
22.72.0 |
2 |
14.50.1c |
15.02.0c |
49.60.5c |
10.63.2c |
3 |
11.40.9c |
18.70.3c |
52.43.5b |
9.72.4c |
4 |
9.811.2c |
16.31.6c |
41.63.4c |
5.60.4c |
Table 4. Seminiferous tubules and Leydig cells. cP<0.01, compared with controls.
Group |
Abnormal |
Stage
19 |
Leydig
cell |
Leydig
cell |
Mature
Leydig |
Degenerating |
Fibroblast
like |
1
(control) |
19.71.7 |
29.81.3 |
91.20.1 |
24.80.4 |
45.32.7 |
29.40.9 |
26.62.5 |
2 |
63.91.9c |
13.61.1c |
60.84.3c |
17.50.3c |
33.91.1c |
43.91.1c |
22.12.2 |
3 |
46.00.3c |
17.00.8c |
73.91.4c |
18.00.5c |
28.61.0c |
46.50.8c |
24.80.3 |
4 |
44.50.8c |
7.00.7c |
48.76.6c |
12.91.2c |
28.31.2c |
44.82.0c |
26.90.9 |
3.5 Recovery
All treated animals became fertile after 60 days of drug withdrawal. Females mated with these males delivered healthy litters.
4 Discussion
Semecarpus anacardium extract feeding caused antispermatogenic effect evidenced by reduction in numbers of spermatogenic cells and spermatozoa. Reduction in sperm density in cauda epididymides may be due to changes in the androgen metabolism. The principal cells of epididymis synthesize proteins, which have important role in maturation of spermatozoa [8]. Alterations in the secretion and function of these proteins impared sperm maturation. The epididymal protein was reduced in the present study as with other plant materials, including Sarcostemma acidum [9] and Barleria prionitis [10] in rats and Mentha arvensis in mice [11]. Low fructose concentration may be another cause of reduction in sperm motility as seminal fructose provided energy for sperm motility. The reduction in the glycogen level in testes may be due to interference in glucose metabolism. The reduced glycogen level was correlated with diminished number of post meiotic germ cells, which were supposed to be the site of glucose metabolism. The reduced glycogen level could affect protein synthesis, because protein synthesis in spermatogenic cells was dependent on glucose [12]. Gupta et al. [10] also observed reduced glycogen and protein levels in testes of Barleria prionitis root extract treated rats. Decreased number of spermatozoa or reduced androgen production may affect the level of sialic acid in testes. The reduced sialic acid content might alter the structural integrity of acrosomal membrane which ultimately affects the metabolism, motility and fertilizing capacity of spermatozoa [13]. Semecarpus anacardium fruit extract feeding caused impairment of Leydig cell function, which was evidenced by reduced Leydig cell area and nuclear dimensions and fewer number of mature Leydig cells. The atrophic state of Leydig cells in the testes of treated animals may be due to declined LH secretion [14, 15]. Differentiation of primordial germ cells into spermatogonia and subsequent appearance of spermatogenic cycle are under the control of gonadotropin and testosterone, such control being possibly mediated by Sertoli cells [16], which regulate cell cycle kinetics and influence both spermatogonia and preleptotene spermatocytes [17]. The reduction in number of secondary spermatocytes and spermatids reflected non-availability of ABP from Sertoli cells [18]. ABP is required to maintain intra-testicular androgen concentration and transformation of advance stages of germ cells. Meiotic and post-meiotic germ cells were highly sensitive to androgen concentration [19] and the alteration in androgen level in testes may affect the transformation of spermatocytes to spermatids. The blood parameters remained within the normal range after Seme-carpus anacardium administration indicating non-toxic nature of the plant.
Acknowledgements
The authors are indebted to Indian Council of Medical Research, New Delhi, India for financial support for this study.
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Correspondence
to: Dr. Arti Sharma, 1389,
Baba Harish Chandra Marg, Bhoora Tiba, 3rd Cross Road, Jaipur (Rajasthan)
302 001 India.
E-mail: artiz@rediffmail.com
, vivek@cswri.raj.nic.in
Received 2003-01-10 Accepted 2003-03-07
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