International Journal of
Reproductive Biomedicine
Thu, Nov 21, 2024
[Archive]
Volume 7, Issue 4 (7-2009)
IJRM 2009, 7(4): 163-168 |
Back to browse issues page
Download citation:
BibTeX | RIS | EndNote | Medlars | ProCite | Reference Manager | RefWorks
Send citation to:
BibTeX | RIS | EndNote | Medlars | ProCite | Reference Manager | RefWorks
Send citation to:
Kiasalari Z, Khalili M, Aghaei M. Effect of withania somnifera on levels of sex hormones in the diabetic male rats. IJRM 2009; 7 (4) :163-168
URL: http://ijrm.ir/article-1-160-en.html
URL: http://ijrm.ir/article-1-160-en.html
1- Department of Physiology, Medical Faculty, Shahed University, Tehran, Iran
2- Department of Physiology, Medical Faculty, Shahed University, Tehran, Iran ,najafabady@yahoo.com
2- Department of Physiology, Medical Faculty, Shahed University, Tehran, Iran ,
Abstract: (3114 Views)
Background: There are evidences regarding the prevalence of dysfunction in sexual function and behavior in diabetic people. Experimental studies revealed a positive effect of withania somnifera on sexual function and behaviors.
Objective: In this research, the effect of withania somnifera on sexual function in diabetic male Wistar rats was assessed by measuring the serum levels of testosterone, progesterone, estrogen, FSH and LH.
Materials and Methods: Experimental diabetes mellitus type I was induced by intraperitoneal injection of a single dose (60 mg/kg) of streptozotocin (STZ) in Wistar male rats. Oral withania somnifera root was given in pelleted food at ratio of 6.25% for 4 weeks. The levels of gonadadotropic hormones (LH, FSH), progesterone, estrogen and testosterone in animals’ serum were determined after 4 weeks in all groups.
Results: Withania somnifera root was effective in lowering FSH serum level in somnifera-treated animals compared to controls (p<0.05) in both diabetic and non-diabetic groups, whereas progesterone (p<0.05), testosterone (p<0.05) and LH levels (p<0.001) were significantly higher in non-diabetic treated animals. Oral somnifera root was also able to reverse the reductive effect of diabetes on the progesterone. The estrogen level did not show any significant difference in any of the groups.
Conclusion: It is suggested that withania somnifera may have a regulatory effect on diabetes-induced change of the levels of gonadal-hormones, especially progesterone, in male rats. Nevertheless, somnifera is apparently only able to diminish FSH serum level in intact animals.
Objective: In this research, the effect of withania somnifera on sexual function in diabetic male Wistar rats was assessed by measuring the serum levels of testosterone, progesterone, estrogen, FSH and LH.
Materials and Methods: Experimental diabetes mellitus type I was induced by intraperitoneal injection of a single dose (60 mg/kg) of streptozotocin (STZ) in Wistar male rats. Oral withania somnifera root was given in pelleted food at ratio of 6.25% for 4 weeks. The levels of gonadadotropic hormones (LH, FSH), progesterone, estrogen and testosterone in animals’ serum were determined after 4 weeks in all groups.
Results: Withania somnifera root was effective in lowering FSH serum level in somnifera-treated animals compared to controls (p<0.05) in both diabetic and non-diabetic groups, whereas progesterone (p<0.05), testosterone (p<0.05) and LH levels (p<0.001) were significantly higher in non-diabetic treated animals. Oral somnifera root was also able to reverse the reductive effect of diabetes on the progesterone. The estrogen level did not show any significant difference in any of the groups.
Conclusion: It is suggested that withania somnifera may have a regulatory effect on diabetes-induced change of the levels of gonadal-hormones, especially progesterone, in male rats. Nevertheless, somnifera is apparently only able to diminish FSH serum level in intact animals.
Type of Study: Original Article |
References
1. Mishra LC, Singh BB, Dagenais S. Scientific basis for the therapeutic use of Withania somnifera (ashwagandha): a review. Alternative Medicine Review 2000; 5: 34-346.
2. Sangwan RS, Das Chaurasiya N, Lal P, Misra L, Tuli R, Sangwan NS. Withanolide A is inherently de novo biosynthesized in roots of the medicinal plant Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera). Physiol Plant 2008; 2: 278-287. [DOI:10.1111/j.1399-3054.2008.01076.x]
3. Ilayperuma I, Ratnasooriya WD, Weerasooriya TR. Effect of Withania somnifera root extract on the sexual behaviour of male rats. Asian J Androl 2002; 4: 295-298.
4. Agarwal MM, Punnose J, Dhatt GS. Gestational diabetes: implications of variation in post-partum follow-up criteria. Eur J Obstet Gynecol Reprod Biol 2004; 113: 149-153. [DOI:10.1016/j.ejogrb.2003.09.021]
5. Wild S, Roglic G, Green A, Sicree R, King H. Global Prevalence of Diabetes. Diabetes care 2004; 27: 1047-1053. [DOI:10.2337/diacare.27.5.1047]
6. Sudha S, Valli G, Julie PM, Arunakaran J, Govindarajulu P, Balasubramanian K. Influence of streptozotocin-induced diabetes and insulin treatment on the pituitary-testicular axis during sexual maturation in rats. Exp Clin Endocrinol Diabetes 2000; 108: 14-20. [DOI:10.1055/s-0032-1329210]
7. Mallick C, Mandal S, Barik B, Bhattacharya A, Ghosh D. Protection of testicular dysfunctions by MTEC, a formulated herbal drug, in streptozotocin induced diabetic rat. Biol Pharm Bull 2007; 30: 84-90. [DOI:10.1248/bpb.30.84]
8. Jiang GY. Practical Diabetes. 1st Edition. Beijing: People's Health Publishing House 1996; 295-296.
9. Scarano WR, Messias AG, Oliva SU, Klinefelter GR, Kempinas WG. Sexual behaviour, sperm quantity and quality after short-term streptozotocin-induced hyperglycaemia in rats. Int J Androl 2006; 29: 482-488. [DOI:10.1111/j.1365-2605.2006.00682.x]
10. Abdel-Magied EM, Abdel-Rahman HA, Harraz FM. The effect of aqueous extracts of Cynomorium coccineum and Withania somnifera on testicular development in immature Wistar rats. J Ethnopharmacol 2001; 75: 1-4. [DOI:10.1016/S0378-8741(00)00348-2]
11. Ahmad MK, Mahdi AA, Shukla KK, Islam N, Rajender S, Madhukar D, et al. Withania somnifera improves semen quality by regulating reproductive hormone levels and oxidative stress in seminal plasma of infertile males. Fertil Steril 2009 [Epub ahead of print]. [DOI:10.1016/j.fertnstert.2009.04.046]
12. Al-Qarawi AA, Abdel-Rahman HA, El-Badry AA, Harraz F, Razig NA, Abdel-Magied EM. The effect of extracts of Cynomorium coccineum and Withania somnifera on gonadotrophins and ovarian follicles of immature Wistar rats. Phytother Res 2000; 14: 288-290.
https://doi.org/10.1002/1099-1573(200006)14:4<288::AID-PTR603>3.0.CO;2-9 [DOI:10.1002/1099-1573(200006)14:43.0.CO;2-9]
13. Abdel-Rahman HA, El-Badry AA, Mahmoud OM, Harraz FA. The effect of the aqueous extract of Cynomorium coccineum on the epididymal sperm pattern of the rat. Phytother Res 1999; 13: 248-250.
https://doi.org/10.1002/(SICI)1099-1573(199905)13:3<248::AID-PTR425>3.0.CO;2-D [DOI:10.1002/(SICI)1099-1573(199905)13:33.0.CO;2-D]
14. Hemalatha S, Wahi AK, Singh PN, Chansouria JP. Hypoglycemic activity of Withania coagulans Dunal in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. Journal of Ethnopharmacol 2004; 93: 261-264. [DOI:10.1016/j.jep.2004.03.043]
15. Bhattacharya A, Ghosal S, Bhattacharya SK. Antioxidant effect of Withania somnifera glycowithanolides in chronic footshock stress-induced perturbations of oxidative free radical scavenging enzymes and lipid peroxidation in rat frontal cortex and striatum. J Ethnopharmacol 2001; 74: 1-6. [DOI:10.1016/S0378-8741(00)00309-3]
16. Singh A, Naidu PS, Gupta S, Kulkarni SK. Effect of natural and synthetic antioxidants in a mouse model of chronic fatigue syndrome. J Med Food 2002; 5: 211-220. [DOI:10.1089/109662002763003366]
17. Feng SL, Li SH, Wang Y, Chen CC, Gao B. Effect of ligustrum fruit extract on reproduction in experimental diabetic rats. Asian J Androl 2001; 3: 71-73.
18. Swanston-Flatt SK, Day C, Bailey CJ, Flatt PR. Evaluation of traditional plant treatments for diabetes: studies in streptozotocin diabetic mice. Acta Diabetol Lat 1989; 26: 51-55. [DOI:10.1007/BF02581196]
19. Dafopoulos K, Kotsovassilis CG, Milingos S, Kallitsaris A, Galazios G, Zintzaras E, et al. Changes in pituitary sensitivity to GnRH in estrogen-treated post-menopausal women: evidence that gonadotrophin surge attenuating factor plays a physiological role. Hum Reprod 2004; 19: 1985-1992. [DOI:10.1093/humrep/deh383]
20. Devi PU, Akagi K, Ostapenko V, Tanaka Y, Sugahara T. Withaferin A: a new radiosensitizer from the Indian medicinal plant Withania somnifera. Int J Radiat Biol 1996; 69: 193-197. [DOI:10.1080/095530096146020]
21. Ballester J, Mu-oz MC, Domínguez J, Palomo MJ, Rivera M, Rigau T, et al. Tungstate administration improves the sexual and reproductive function in female rats with streptozotocin-induced diabetes. Hum Reprod 2007; 22: 2128-2135. [DOI:10.1093/humrep/dem168]
22. Valdes CT, Elkind-Hisch KE, Rogers DG, Adelman JP. The hypothalamic-pituitary axis of streotozotocin-induced diabetic female rats is not normalized by estradiol replacement. Endocrinol 1991; 128: 433-440. [DOI:10.1210/endo-128-1-433]
23. Babichev VN, Peryshkova TA, Adamskaia EI. Status of the hypophysial-gonadal system in male rats with diabetes (experimental study. Proble Endokrinol 1993; 39: 42-45.
24. Roghani M, Balouchnezhad mojarad T, VaezMahdavi MR, Fatemi M. The effect of chronic withania somnifera feeding on the serum levels of glucose and lipids of diabetic rats. Iranian Journal of Basic Medical Science 2005; 4: 239-245.
25. Andallu B, Radhika B. Hypoglycemic, diuretic and hypocholesterolemic effect of winter cherry (Withania somnifera) root. Indian J Exp Biol 2000; 38: 607-609.
26. Mishra LC, Singh BB, Dagenais S. Scientific basis for the therapeutic use of Withania somnifera (ashwagandha): a review. Alternative Medicine Review 2000; 5: 334-346.
Send email to the article author
| Rights and permissions | |
 |
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. |
