AIMTo investigate the effect of Morinda lucida Benth (Rubiaceae) on the reproductive activity of male albino rats.

METHODSTwo groups of rats were treated with 400 mg/(kg .d) of Morinda lucida leaf extract for 4 and 13 weeks, respectively. The control rats received the vehicle. All the treated rats had corresponding recovery groups. At the end of each experimental period, animals were killed and organ weights, sperm characteristics, serum testosterone levels, histology of the testes and fertility were assessed.

RESULTSMorinda lucida leaf extract did not cause any changes in body and somatic organ weights, but significantly increased the testis weight (P 0.05). The sperm motility and viability, and the epididymal sperm counts of rats treated for 13 weeks were significantly reduced (P 0.05). Sperm morphological abnormalities and serum testosterone levels were significantly increased (P 0.05). There were various degrees of damage to the seminiferous tubules. The extract reduced the fertility of the treated rats by reducing the litter size. Reversal of these changes, however, occurred after a period of time.

CONCLUSIONThe extract of Morinda lucida has reversible antispermatogenic properties.

Animals ; Antispermatogenic Agents ; pharmacology ; Body Weight ; drug effects ; Epididymis ; cytology ; drug effects ; Fertility ; drug effects ; Litter Size ; drug effects ; Male ; Morinda ; Organ Size ; drug effects ; Plant Extracts ; pharmacology ; Plant Leaves ; chemistry ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Sperm Count ; Sperm Motility ; drug effects ; Testosterone ; blood

AIMTo investigate the effect of methanol extract of Ricinus communis seed (RCE) on male rats reproductive functions.

METHODSThirty-two male albino rats were divided into four groups. Groups 1, 2 and 3 were gavaged with 0.2 mL of 2.5% tween 80 (RCE vehicle; control) or 20 mg/(kg x d) and 40 mg/(kg x d) of RCE, respectively, for 30 days, and group 4 was also gavaged with 40 mg/(kg x d) of RCE, but was allowed a recovery period of 30 days. Five untreated female rats were cohabited with male rats in each group from day 25 of RCE treatment for 5 days, except group 4, where cohabitation began on day 25 of the recovery period. All male rats were sacrificed 24 h after the experiments. The female rats were laparotomized on day 19 of pregnancy and the number and weight of litters were recorded.

RESULTSThere was a significant decrease (P<0.01) in the weight of the reproductive organs, sperm functions and serum levels of testosterone in RCE treated rats. There was disorganization in the cytoarchitecture of the testes, disruption of the seminiferous tubules and erosion of the germinal epithelium. The number and weight of litters of rats in groups 2 and 4 decreased significantly (P<0.05) but no changes were observed in group 3. RCE caused no changes in liver, kidney, heart or body weights in male rats.

CONCLUSIONRCE has a reversible negative impact on male reproductive functions, which appears to be mediated via gonadal disruption in testosterone secretion.

Animals ; Epididymis ; anatomy & histology ; drug effects ; Female ; Litter Size ; drug effects ; Male ; Methanol ; Organ Size ; drug effects ; Plant Extracts ; pharmacology ; Prostate ; anatomy & histology ; drug effects ; Rats ; Reproduction ; drug effects ; Ricinus ; chemistry ; Seeds ; chemistry ; Spermatozoa ; drug effects ; Testis ; anatomy & histology ; drug effects

OBJECTIVEThis study investigated the effects of aqueous leaf extract of Tridax procumbens (ALETP) on contractile activity of corpus cavernosum in N-nitro-l-arginine methyl ester (l-NAME)-induced hypertensive male rats.

METHODSTwenty normal, adult male rats (130-150 g) were divided into four groups of five rats each. Group I (control) was given normal saline (0.6 mL/kg) and group II was given l-NAME (40 mg/kg) for 6 weeks. Groups III and IV also received l-NAME (40 mg/kg) for 6 weeks but were further co-treated with 100 and 200 mg/kg of ALETP, respectively, from week 4 to week 6. All treatments were given orally. Strips of corpus cavernosum from each of the four groups were exposed to increasing concentrations of acetylcholine (ACh) and sodium nitroprusside (SNP) (10-10mol/L) after contraction with phenylephrine (10 mol/L) to test for a dose-response effect. Response to potassium and calcium was also measured after cumulatively adding potassium and calcium (10-50 mmol/L) to potassium- and calcium-free organ chamber. Isometric contractions were recorded through an Ugo Basile data capsule acquisition system.

RESULTSMean arterial blood pressure was significantly reduced in the ALETP co-treated group compared to the control and l-NAME-only groups (P < 0.05). Cavernosa strips from ALETP co-treated rats exhibited significant inhibition of contraction in response to phenylephrine, potassium chloride, and calcium chloride (P < 0.05). Relaxation in response to Ach and SNP was also significantly impaired in cavernosa strips from the l-NAME-only treated group (P < 0.05), while ALETP co-treated groups showed enhanced percentage relaxation.

CONCLUSIONALETP treatment of l-NAME-induced hypertensive rats promotes a relaxant effect on isolated cavernosa strips. ALETP shows potential in correcting erectile dysfunction in hypertension.