Effect of Aqueous Extract from Morinda officinalis F. C. How on Microwave-Induced Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Testis Axis Impairment in Male Sprague-Dawley Rats.

Bin Song,Wei Wang,Fengjuan Wang

doi:10.1155/2015/360730

Abstract

The present study aimed to assess the protective effects of aqueous extract from Morinda officinalis F. C. How on microwave-induced reproductive impairment in male rats. Microwave exposure injury was induced by exposure of 900 MHz microwaves at 218 μm/cm2radiation densities, 24 hours/day for 10 days. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomized to: normal control, microwave exposure model, or water layer or ethyl acetate layer of aqueous extract 40 g/kg treatment groups. After 2 weeks of treatment, sexual performance, serum levels of gonadotrophin-releasing hormone (GnRH), luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) or testosterone, morphological analysis of testis and epididymis, and GnRH protein expression in the hypothalamus were measured. Pretreatment with water layer of aqueous extract 40 g/kg significantly improved sexual performance, increased serum testosterone level, and decreased LH and GnRH level compared with microwave exposed model rats (all P < 0.05). Water layer of aqueous extract treatment significantly increased seminiferous cell or sperm number in testis and epididymis. Protein expression of GnRH in the hypothalamus significantly decreased in the water layer of aqueous extract treated group (P < 0.05). Ethyl acetate layer of aqueous extract did not show obvious effects on the measured parameters. These findings suggest that water layer of aqueous extract 40 g/kg ameliorates microwave-reduced reproductive impairment.

Highlights

Male infertility is a global population health concern
Treatment with water layer fraction of aqueous extract 40 g/kg decreased capture incubation period (CIP) compared with the microwave exposure model group (32.500 ± 4.1833 versus 38.1667 ± 4.8751 sec; P < 0.05)
Treatment with water layer fraction of aqueous extract 40 g/kg showed a trend to increase catching frequency (CF) compared with the microwave exposure group (38.0000 ± 4.0497 versus 32.6667 ± 4.1793 times, P > 0.05)

Summary

Introduction

Male infertility is a global population health concern. 15% of couples have difficulty conceiving, and male factor contributes to 40–60% of those cases [1, 2]. The most common cause of male infertility is loss of sufficient normal, active sperm [3]. Microwaves from mobile phones can be added to the environmental factors that contribute to male infertility [4, 5]. Exposure to cell phone microwaves may decrease sperm parameters [6]. Prevention and treatment of microwave-induced male reproductive impairments urgently need to be addressed

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