[Antispermatogenic effects of multiglycosides of Tripterygium wilfordii and monomer T4 in the testes and epididymal spermatozoa of rats]

Abstract

The antispermatogenic effects of the multiglycosides of Tripterygium wilfordii (GTW) and monomer T4 isolated from GTW on the testes and epididymal spermatozoa of rats were examined microscopically following silver staining. The dosages of GTW and T4 were 10mg/kg.d and 0.05 mg/kg.d, respectively, fed for 7 weeks via gastric intubation. Different degrees of damage to the testis and epididymal tubes were found in rats treated with GTW. Deformed, round-headed sperms and exfoliated cells (mainly spermatids and occasionally pachytene spermatocytes) were seen in the tubular lumen of the epididymis. Spermatids with deformed acrosomal vesicles were also commonly observed. No significant pathological changes were seen in other internal organs. T4 mainly caused damage to the spermatozoa in the epididymis. Under the dosage of 0.05mg/kg.d the sperm count was almost nil, but no discernible changes in the seminiferous tubules, epididymal epithelia, Leydig cells or Sertoli cells were found. The antifertility potency of T4 was 200 times stronger than that of GTW.