OBJECTIVETo observe the effects of Yangjing Capsule (YJC) on the ultrastructure of seminal vesicles in aged male rats, and explore its mechanism of improving the secretion of seminal vesicles.

METHODSFifty male SD rats aged 18 -20 months were randomly and equally divided into a control group, a testosterone undecanoate group, and a high-dose, a medium-dose and a low-dose YJC group, all fed intragastrically for 30 days. Then the seminal vesicles of the rats were removed and the seminal fluid squeezed into the test tube to be weighed and measured for the concentration of seminal vesicle fluid fructose, and the bilateral seminal vesicles were placed in formaldehyde and glutaraldehyde fixatives for histological observation.

RESULTSThe seminal vesicle gland viscera coefficient, seminal vesicle fluid weight and fructose concentration of the rats were (1164.5 +/- 212.6) g/g x 10(6), (0.83 +/- 0.30) g and (4.35 +/- 0.31) mg/ml in the control group, (1510.5 +/- 313.1) g/g x 10(6), (0.82 +/- 0.25) g and (5.35 +/- 0.71) mg/ml in the testosterone undecanoate group, (1484.3 +/- 262.7) g/g x 10(6), (1.14 +/- 0.18) g and (5.30 +/- 0.45) mg/ml in the high-dose YJC group, (1396.6 +/- 268.9) g/g x 10(6), (0.83 +/- 0.24) g and (4.71 +/- 0.41) mg/ml in the medium-dose YJC group, and (1475.0 +/- 305.2) g/g x 10(6), (0.74 +/- 0.28) g and (4.50 +/- 0.23) mg/ml in the low-dose YJC group. Compared with the control, high-dose YJC significantly improved seminal vesicle secretion (P < 0.05), while medium- and low-dose only achieved a trend of improvement. After HE staining, the YJC groups showed more active epithelial hyperplasia, increased cellular layers, rich and transparent cytoplasm with abundant secretory granules, fat droplets and lipofuscin, blurred glandular cavity edge, and eosinophilic intraluminal secretions, as compared with the control group. The structural change was most significant in the high-dose group. Statistically significant differences were observed in the numerical density and bulk density of the secretory granules between the YJC and control groups (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONYangjing Capsule can improve the secretion of seminal vesicles by increasing the secretory granules of the main

Aging ; Animals ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Male ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Seminal Vesicles ; drug effects ; ultrastructure

OBJECTIVETo evaluate effects of cypermethrin on the testis histology and testosterone, LH and FSH in adult male Sprague-Dawley rats.

METHODSThe intact adult male rats were randomly divided into five groups and were treated with cypermethrin at doses of 0, 7.5, 15, 30, or 60 mg/kg per day by oral gavage for 15-days. After the treatments, serum was collected for hormone assays. The testes, epididymides, seminal vesicles, and prostates were excised and weighed. The right testis was frozen for daily sperm production and the left one was processed for histopathology.

RESULTSDaily sperm production decreased significantly in 30 and 60 mg/(kg•day) groups. Testicular structure abnormalities included atrophic and distorted seminiferous tubules, deformed and disordered arrangement of germ cells, reduced germ cells, Sertoli cells and Leydig cells, vacuolization and multinucleated formations of spermatids in the cypermethrin-treated rats. Vacuolization was found in Sertoli cells and the deformed nucleus was noted in Leydig cells. Serum testosterone reduced significantly in 30 and 60 mg/(kg•day) groups. Serum FSH increased significantly in 60 mg/(kg•day) group.

CONCLUSIONCypermethrin induces impairments of the seminiferous tubules structure and spermatogenesis in the rats. The damages of the male reproductive system may be attributed to the imbalance of circulating testosterone.

Animals ; Epididymis ; drug effects ; Male ; Prostate ; drug effects ; Pyrethrins ; pharmacology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Seminal Vesicles ; drug effects ; Spermatogenesis ; drug effects ; Testis ; drug effects ; Testosterone ; blood

OBJECTIVETo study the effect of ethane dimethane sulfonate (EDS) injection on the volumes of different histological structures in the seminal vesicles of adult rats.

METHODSTwenty-seven male SD rats aged approximately 90 days were randomly divided into a control group (n = 14) and an EDS group (n = 13) to receive one intraperitoneal injection of normal saline and EDS (75 mg/kg bodyweight), respectively. At 7 and 12 days after treatment, the unilateral seminal vesicles were removed, methacrylate resin-embedded sections prepared and the total volumes of various structures in the seminal vesicles estimated using stereological methods.

RESULTSEDS treatment almost completely destroyed the Leydig cells in the testis, resulting in a drastic testosterone deficiency. The volume of the seminal vesicle (including the coagulating gland attached to the vesicle) was decreased by 53% in the 7 d EDS group (n = 6) in comparison with the 7 d control group (n = 7) ([138.2 +/- 12.9] vs [64.9 +/- 3.6] mm3, P < 0.01), but showed no significant difference between the 7 d and the 12 d EDS (n = 7) groups ([64.9 +/- 3.6] vs [55.4 +/- 7.7] mm3, P > 0.05). The total volumes of the glandular lumen, glandular epithelium, smooth muscular layer and adventitia were decreased by 96.7, 80.3, 57.6 and 67.0%, respectively, in the 12 d EDS group as compared with the 12 d control group (n = 7).

CONCLUSIONEDS induces drastic testosterone deficiency in adult rats, and significantly reduces the total volumes of the seminal vesicle lumen, glandular epithelium, smooth muscular layer and adventitia.

Animals ; Leydig Cells ; drug effects ; Male ; Mesylates ; pharmacology ; Organ Size ; drug effects ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Seminal Vesicles ; drug effects ; pathology ; Testis ; cytology ; drug effects ; pathology

OBJECTIVETo investigate the antiandrogenic activities of cypermethrin and beta-cypermethrin in vitro and in vivo.

METHODSTranscriptional activation assay based on MDA-kb2 cell was used to determine the antiandrogenic effect of cypermethrin and beta-cypermethrin in vitro. The cells were treated by 10(-8), 10(-7), 10(-6) and 10(-5) mol/L of cypermethrin and beta-cypermethrin with 1.0 nmol/L DHT at the same time. The effects of antagonism towards the androgenic receptor were studied. In in vivo assays, Hershberger assay was used to determine the antiandrogenic activities of cypermethrin and beta-cypermethrin. Six-week-old castrated male SD rats were administered by cypermethrin (7, 21 and 63 mg/kg) and beta-cypermethrin (6, 18 and 54 mg/kg). After 7-day treatments, all rats were euthanized and androgen-responsive tissues were excised and weighed respectively.

RESULTSThe in vitro experiments showed that 10(-6) and 10(-5) mol/L cypermethrin could inhibit significantly the antagonism activity towards the androgenic receptor of DHT. In in vivo tests, the weight of seminal vesicle, ventral prostate, dorsolateral prostate and preputial glands in the 63 mg/kg cypermethrin [(52.8 +/- 7.1), (42.4 +/- 8.9), (36.6 +/- 4.5) and (43.4 +/- 11.1) mg] decreased significantly compared with those in the control group. In 21 mg/kg cypermethrin treated group only the weights of ventral prostate and dorsolateral prostate decreased significantly, and in 7 mg/kg cypermethrin only the weight of dorsolateral prostate decreased (P < 0.05). For beta-cypermethrin, any antiandrogen effect in in vivo and in vitro experiments was not found in all the groups.

CONCLUSIONCypermethrin is a moderate antiandrogen that elicits antiandrogenic effects at least partly by antagonizing AR and beta-cypermethrin is not an antiandrogen in our experiments.

Androgen Antagonists ; pharmacology ; Animals ; Cells, Cultured ; Male ; Organ Size ; Prostate ; drug effects ; Pyrethrins ; pharmacology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Receptors, Androgen ; drug effects ; Seminal Vesicles ; drug effects

Premature ejaculation (PE) is a common male sexual disorder with an incidence rate of 20-30%. Recent clinical trials have demonstrated that phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors (PDE5i), as the first-line drug for erectile dysfunction (ED), can improve ejaculatory function probably by acting on the peripheral and central adrenergic nerves. The possible action mechanisms of PDE5i may involve lessening of the central sympathetic output, modulation of the contractile responses from the vas deferens, seminal vesicles, prostate and urethra, induction of peripheral analgesia, and prolonging of the total erectile duration, increasing the confidence of ejaculation control, and reducing the post-ejaculation refractory time. This review discusses the possible mechanisms and clinical application of PDE5i in the treatment of PE.
Ejaculation ; drug effects ; Erectile Dysfunction ; drug therapy ; Humans ; Male ; Muscle Contraction ; Phosphodiesterase 5 Inhibitors ; therapeutic use ; Premature Ejaculation ; drug therapy ; Seminal Vesicles ; physiology ; Vas Deferens ; physiology

Detrimental effects of tributyltin (TBT) chloride on the reproductive system were investigated in pubertal male rats. Sixty Sprague-Dawley rats aged with 35 days were assigned to six different groups; negative control receiving vehicle, positive control receiving methyltestosterone (10 mg/kg B.W.), TBT chloride (5 mg/kg B.W., 10 mg/kg B.W., and 20 mg/kg B.W.), and a combination of TBT chloride (10 mg/kg B.W.) and flutamide (10 mg/kg B.W). The animals were treated with test compounds by oral gavage daily for 10 days and sacrificed on the next day of the final treatment. The treatment with TBT chloride at the doses of 10 and 20 mg/kg B.W. significantly decreased seminal vesicle weights, compared to the negative control. The combined treatment of TBT chloride and flutamide caused a significant decrease in accessory sex organ weights, compared to the control and TBT chloride treatments. The treatment with TBT chloride or in the combination with flutamide increased detached debris and sloughed cells in the tubules of epididymis and narrowed seminal vesicles. In addition, the combined treatment with TBT chloride and flutamide caused a noticeable increase in serum androgen level, compared to the negative control.These results suggest that TBT chloride exposed during pubertal period cause partial reproductive disorders in male rats.
Animals ; Body Weight ; Epididymis/drug effects ; Flutamide/pharmacology ; Genitalia, Male/*drug effects ; Male ; Methyltestosterone/pharmacology ; Organ Size ; Prostate/drug effects ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Seminal Vesicles/drug effects ; *Sexual Maturation/drug effects ; Testis/drug effects ; Trialkyltin Compounds/*pharmacology

OBJECTIVESTo evaluate the effects of 19-nortestosterone (NT) on the growth and development of the ventral prostate (VP), epididymis, and seminal vesicles (SV) in hypogonadal (hpg) mice.

METHODSThe silastic tube filled with NT was implanted subdermally into mature hpg mice (n = 7) for five weeks. Similar silastic tubes without NT were implanted into both of hpg mouse control group (n = 7) and normal mouse group (n = 10) instead. The weights of sex accessory glands and the branch tip number of VP from all mice were evaluated.

RESULTSThe weights of VP, SV, and epididymis in NT treated hpg group were significantly higher than those of hpg control group (P < 0.005); and the branching morphology of the VP showed a tendency to be normal and the development of prostate ductal tip was improved significantly. Especially, the weight of SV in NT treated hpg mice was equal to that of normal mice, while the weights of VP, epididymis and branching tip number in NT treated hpg group was still significantly lower than that of normal mice (P < 0.005).

CONCLUSIONSThe NT treatment significantly stimulates the growth and development of the sex accessory gland in mature hpg mouse.

Animals ; Epididymis ; drug effects ; growth & development ; Genitalia, Male ; drug effects ; growth & development ; Hypogonadism ; drug therapy ; physiopathology ; Male ; Mice ; Nandrolone ; therapeutic use ; Prostate ; drug effects ; growth & development ; Seminal Vesicles ; drug effects ; growth & development

AIMAqueous extracts of Zingiber officinale and Pentadiplandra brazzeana were tested for their possible androgenic activity in male Wistar rats.

METHODSThe aqueous extracts of the two plants were gavaged separately to 2 groups of rats at a similar dose of 600 mg middot kg(-1) middot day(-1) for 8 days. At the end of the treatment, the animals were killed and the blood, testis, epididymis, seminal vesicles and prostate were collected for biochemical analysis.

RESULTSThe aqueous extract of Z. officinale significantly increased in the relative weight of the testis, the serum testosterone level, testicular cholesterol level and epididymal a-glucosidase activity. The aqueous extract of P. brazzeana significantly increased the weights of the testis, seminal vesicles and prostate. It also significantly increased the serum and testicular testosterone level. The fructose, alpha-glucosidase and cholesterol levels in P. brazzeana-treated rats were increased by 28 %, 35 % and 114 %, respectively.

CONCLUSIONThe aqueous extracts of both P. brazzeana and Z. officinale have an androgenic activity, which seems to be more potent with P. brazzeana than with Z. officinale.

Androgens ; Animals ; Brassicaceae ; Epididymis ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Fructose ; Ginger ; Male ; Plant Extracts ; pharmacology ; Plant Roots ; Plant Stems ; Proteins ; metabolism ; Rats ; Seminal Vesicles ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Testis ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Testosterone ; blood ; metabolism ; alpha-Glucosidases ; metabolism

AIMto investigate the effects of crude garlic on adult male rat reproductive functions.

METHODSThirty male rats were divided into five groups: group 1 (untreated) and groups 2, 3, 4 and 5 were fed for 30 days with 5%, 10%, 15% and 30% crude garlic, respectively. Testes and accessory organs were weighed and some markers were assessed. Light and electron microscopy observations were also performed.

RESULTSA significant decrease was observed in the body weight of groups 4 (14%; P < 0.01) and 5 (20%; P < 0.01); of the prostate weight in group 5 (29.1%; P < 0.05) and of seminal vesicle weight in groups 3 (14.4%; P < 0.01), 4 (18.3%; P < 0.01) and 5 (27.3%; P < 0.01). In contrast, testis and epididymis weights were unchanged. In epididymis tissue, the alpha glucosidase activity and the spermatozoa density were unchanged. The treatment resulted in a significant decrease in testosterone serum levels in groups 3 (77.3%; P < 0.01), 4 (77.3%; P < 0.01) and 5 (90.9%; P < 0.01), associated with a significant increase in LH serum levels (P < 0.01). Testicular histology showed a dose-dependent increase in the percentage of empty seminiferous tubules. Moreover, testicular function was affected; a significant decrease in phosphatase acid activity (P < 0.01) and testosterone (P < 0.05) contents were observed.

CONCLUSIONCrude garlic consumption during 1 month reduced testosterone secretion and altered spermatogenesis at 10%, 15% and 30% doses.

Animals ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Epididymis ; drug effects ; physiology ; Garlic ; adverse effects ; Leydig Cells ; drug effects ; physiology ; Luteinizing Hormone ; blood ; Male ; Plant Preparations ; pharmacology ; Prostate ; drug effects ; physiology ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Reproduction ; drug effects ; physiology ; Seminal Vesicles ; drug effects ; physiology ; Sertoli Cells ; drug effects ; physiology ; Sperm Count ; Spermatogenesis ; drug effects ; physiology ; Testis ; cytology ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Testosterone ; blood

ObjectiveTo study the protective effect of lipoic acid (LA) on the spermatogenic function of the male rats with oligoasthenozoospermia induced by ornidazole (ORN).

METHODSSeventy male SD rats were equally randomized into groups A (solvent control: 1 ml 0.5% CMC-Na + 1 ml olive oil), B (low-dose ORN model: 400 mg/kg ORN suspension + 1 ml olive oil), C (low-dose ORN + low-dose LA treatment: 400 mg/kg ORN + 50 mg/kg LA), D (low-dose ORN + high-dose LA treatment: 400 mg/kg ORN + 100 mg/kg LA), E (high-dose ORN model: 800 mg/kg ORN suspension + 1 ml olive oil), F (high-dose ORN + low-dose LA treatment: 800 mg/kg ORN + 50 mg/kg LA), and G (high-dose ORN + high-dose LA treatment: 800 mg/kg ORN + 100 mg/kg LA), and treated respectively for 20 successive days. Then all the rats were sacrificed and the weights of the body, testis, epididymis and seminal vesicle obtained, followed by calculation of the organ index, determination of epididymal sperm concentration and motility, and observation of the histomorphological changes in the testis and epididymis by HE staining.

RESULTSCompared with group A, group E showed significantly decreased body weight (［117.67 ± 11.53］ vs ［88.11 ± 12.65］ g, P < 0.01) and indexes of the testis (［1.06 ± 0.12］ vs ［0.65 ± 0.13］ %, P < 0.01) and epididymis (［0.21 ± 0.03］ vs ［0.17 ± 0.01］ %, P < 0.01). In comparison with group E, group F exhibited remarkable increases in the epididymal index (［0.17 ± 0.01］ vs ［0.20 ± 0.02］ %, P < 0.01), and so did group G in the body weight (［88.11 ± 12.65］ vs ［102.70 ± 16.10］ g, P < 0.05) and the indexes of the testis (［0.65 ± 0.13］ vs ［0.95 ± 0.06］ %, P < 0.01) and epididymis (［0.17 ± 0.01］ vs ［0.19 ± 0.02］ %, P < 0.05), but no obvious difference was observed in the index of seminal vesicle among different groups. Compared with group A, group B manifested significant decreases in sperm motility (［74.12 ± 8.73］ vs ［40.25 ± 6.08］ %, P < 0.01), and so did group E in sperm count (［38.59 ± 6.40］ vs ［18.67 ± 4.59］ ×105/100 mg, P < 0.01) and sperm motility (［74.12 ± 8.73］ vs ［27.58 ± 8.43］ %, P < 0.01). Sperm motility was significantly lower in group B than in C and D (［40.25 ± 6.08］ vs ［58.13 ± 7.62］ and ［76.04 ± 8.44］%, P < 0.01), and so were sperm count and motility in group E than in F and G (［18.67 ± 4.59］ vs ［25.63 ± 9.66］ and ［29.92 ± 4.15］ ×105/100 mg, P < 0.05 and P < 0.01; ［27.58 ± 8.43］ vs ［36.56 ± 11.08］ and ［45.05 ± 9.59］ %, P < 0.05 and P < 0.01). There were no obvious changes in the histomorphology of the testis and epididymis in groups A, B, C and D. Compared with group A, group E showed necrotic and exfoliated spermatogenic cells with unclear layers and disorderly arrangement in the seminiferous tubules and remarkably reduced sperm count with lots of noncellular components in the epididymal cavity, while groups F and G exhibited increased sperm count in the seminiferous tubules and epididymis lumen, also with exfoliation, unclear layers and disorderly arrangement of spermatogenic cells, but significantly better than in group E.

CONCLUSIONSLA can reduce ORN-induced damage to the spermatogenetic function of rats, improve sperm quality, and protect the reproductive system.

Animals ; Antioxidants ; pharmacology ; Asthenozoospermia ; chemically induced ; drug therapy ; Body Weight ; drug effects ; Epididymis ; anatomy & histology ; drug effects ; Male ; Oligospermia ; chemically induced ; drug therapy ; Ornidazole ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Seminal Vesicles ; anatomy & histology ; drug effects ; Seminiferous Tubules ; anatomy & histology ; drug effects ; Sperm Count ; Sperm Motility ; drug effects ; Spermatogenesis ; drug effects ; Spermatozoa ; drug effects ; Testis ; anatomy & histology ; drug effects ; Thioctic Acid ; pharmacology