Effect of saw palmetto extract on the reproductive function of male rats with chronic prostatitis.
- Author:
Xu-Xin ZHAN
1
;
Dun-Sheng MO
2
;
Hong-Cai CAI
3
;
Song XUE
4
;
Xue-Jun SHANG
5
Author Information
1. Department of Reproductive Medicine, Xi'an No. 4 Hospital, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710004, China.
2. Department of Urology, Liuzhou Workers' Hospital / The Fourth Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Liuzhou, Guangxi 545005, China.
3. Family Planning Research Institute / Center of Reproductive Medicine, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan Hubei 430030, China.
4. Department of Urology, Nanjing School of Clinical Medicine, Southern Medical University / General Hospital of Eastern Theater Command, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210002, China.
5. Department of Andrology, Nanjing School of Clinical Medicine, Southern Medical University / General Hospital of Eastern Theater Command, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210002, China.
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords:
chronic prostatitis;
rat;
reproductive function;
sperm count;
sperm motility;
saw palmetto extract
- From:
National Journal of Andrology
2019;25(5):399-402
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
Objective:To investigate the effect of saw palmetto extract (SPE) on the reproductive function of rats with chronic prostatitis (CP).
METHODS:Forty male SD rats were equally randomized into groups A (blank control), B (blank control + SPE, C (CP model control) and D (CP model + SPE), and the CP model was made by injection of 1% λ-carrageenan solution into the prostate. The animals in groups A and C were gavaged with normal saline while those in groups B and D with SPE at 0.10 g/kg/d, all for 30 successive days. After drug withdrawal, the rats were mated with female ones in the ratio of 1∶1) and sacrificed 7 days later, their bilateral epididymides collected for detection of sperm count and motility. The numbers of pregnancies and fetuses were recorded and compared among different groups.
RESULTS:Compared with the rats in group A, those in group C showed a marked decrease in epididymal sperm motility (［68.01 ± 1.80］% vs ［62.59 ± 4.82］%, P < 0.05), but those in groups B and D exhibited no statistically significant difference (［67.69 ± 4.06］% and ［67.93 ± 3.39］%, P > 0.05). There were no statistically significant differences in the count of epididymal sperm, rate of pregnancy and number of fetuses between group A and the other groups (P > 0.05).
CONCLUSIONS:SPE can improve the semen parameters of CP rats, and has no adverse effect on the rate of pregnancy and number of fetuses.
