The effect of the Tribulus terrestris extract on spermatogenesis in the rat
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Abstract
Introduction: According to our antecedents, in addition to other pharmacological properties, Tribulus terrestris increases sexual functioning and libido in men. Due to the fact that the benefits of herbal drugs should be approved clinically in the laboratory, the present study aimed to investigate the effect of Tribulus terrestris extract on the primary spermatocyte in rat. Material and Methods: In this experimental study, thirty five mature male Wistar rats with average weight of 180 ± 10 g and age of 2-3 months were randomly divided into five groups of seven each. Group I served as a control and group II as a experiment group (normal saline, 2.5 ml) and groups III, IV and V were treated with three different doses of oral TT extract (2.5, 5 and 10 mg/kg body weight, respectively) once daily for 8 weeks. After the last treatment, the rats were sacrificed and their testis was removed, fixed and studied using light microscope. The data were analyzed using Anova. Results: The results of this study showed that the mean number of primary spermatocytes in the 3rd experimental group (10 mg/kg/body) increased significantly compared with the control group (P<0.01). But Tribulus terrestris extract had no effect on the mean number of primary spermatocytes in the other experimental groups. Conclusion: The above results showed that Tribulus terrestris can probably balance the functions of the male reproductive system and can be used in treatment of male infertility, while effecting the testis spermatocyte.
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