Cover
Vol. 1 No. 2 (2011)

Published: December 31, 2011

Pages: 39-44

Research Article

Evaluation of effect of aqueous and ethanolic extracts of Tribulus terrestris, Phoenix dactylifera and Nasturtium officinale on reproduction in male mice treated with theobromine

Mohaisen H. Adaay 1 Amal Gh. Mattar 2
1Institute of Embryo Researches & Infertility Treatment, Al-Nahrain University, Baghdad, Iraq
2Ministry of Health, Baghdad, Iraq
History
  • Received: September 1, 2011
  • Available Online: December 1, 2011

Abstract

Background: Tribulus terrestris (TT), Phoenix dactilyfera (Pd) and Nasturtium officinale (No) were believed to have fertility-enhancing effects and given by herbalists in Baghdad to men who need to increase their fertility capacity. Objectives: To investigate the possibility that aqueous and ethanolic extracts of the plants mixture can counteract the adverse effect of theobromine on reproductive system of male mic. Materials and Methods: One hundred and twenty mature male mice were injected intraperitoneally with 250 mg/kg/day of theobromine for four weeks. Then the males were treated intraperitonially with different dose levels of aqueous and ethanolic extracts of a mixture of the three plants for four weeks to evaluate their effects on body weight, reproductive organs weight, sperm parameters, hormones level and reproductive performance. Results: Both extracts showed a significant enhancement in all parameters studied. Almost all these results showed a dose dependent pattem with the ethanolic extract being the more effective than aqueous extract in all parameters. Conclusions: Mixture of the three plants seems to counteract the action of theobromine on the reproductive system of male mice through enhancing the concentration and motility of spermatozoa, increasing epididymis and seminal vesicles weight which are an indicator of testosterone production which brought about the stimulation of all male reproductive organs.

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