Abstract
Tetracarpidium conophorum (Mull. Arg.) Hutch. & Dalz is one of the many medicinal plants used in folklore as male fertility enhancers. This research was aimed at evaluating the anti-peroxidative activity of the leaves of this plant by determining their capacity to reduce malondialdehyde (MDA) level in reproductive organs and accessory glands of rats. Adult male rats were administered orally with the aqueous leaf extract from T. conophorum at 50, 500 and 1000 mg/kg body weight for 21 consecutive days while clomiphene citrate (1.04 mg/kg body weight), a fertility drug was used as standard. The results of the study indicated that there was increase in relative organ weight, body weight, mean total food and water consumed by the treated groups. Testicular MDA level was highly significantly different from that of the control (p < 0.0001) although a tentatively decreased MDA level was observed. However, MDA levels in the reproductive accessory glands, epididymis, seminal vesicle and prostate gland were insignificantly (p < 0.05) lower than those of controls. The highest percentage decrease of MDA level (66.35, 42.68, 62.50 and 63.36%) was observed at the highest concentration of the extract (1000 mg/kg) in the testis, epididymis, seminal vesicle and prostate gland respectively. These values were two-fold greater than the values obtained for the standard drug. Interestingly, the treatment of rats with the extract significantly increased the activities of superoxide dismutase, catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), glutathione-S-transferase (GST) and the levels of GSH, vitamin C and total protein. Collectively, the results suggest that the extract from T. conophorum leaves had greater capacity to reduce lipid peroxidation in reproductive organs and accessory glands and thus, this plant may be useful in the treatment/management of reproductive cellular damage involving reactive oxygen species.
Highlights
Free radical or oxidative damage to sperm is thought to be responsible for many cases of idiopathic oligospermia [1], with high levels of free radicals found in the semen of 40% of infertile men [2]
Administration of T. conophorum leaf extract caused a significant (p < 0.001) and dose-dependent reduction in the lipid peroxidation levels compared with the corresponding group of control animals (Figure 1)
Medicinal plants have been shown to contain the bioactive substances with promising antioxidative activities and suspected to be useful to reproductive system by retarding cellular degeneration and preventing cancer caused by free radicals in animals [21,22,23], our study appears to be Treatment groups Control (MDA level)∗
Summary
Free radical or oxidative damage to sperm is thought to be responsible for many cases of idiopathic oligospermia [1], with high levels of free radicals found in the semen of 40% of infertile men [2]. Carlsen et al [3] reported that three factors combine to render sperm susceptible to free radical damage, a high membrane concentration of polyunsaturated fatty acids, active generation of free radicals, and a lack of defensive enzymes. All of these factors combine to make the health of the sperm critically dependent upon antioxidants. Men exposed to increased levels of sources of free radicals are much more likely to have abnormal sperm and sperm counts [1, 5]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
