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. 2010;65(1):93-8.
doi: 10.1590/S1807-59322010000100014.

The effect of eurycoma longifolia Jack on spermatogenesis in estrogen-treated rats

Norhazlina Abdul Wahab  1 , Norfilza M Mokhtar, Wan Nurul Heriza A Halim, Srijit Das
Affiliations
Free PMC article

The effect of eurycoma longifolia Jack on spermatogenesis in estrogen-treated rats

Norhazlina Abdul Wahab et al. Clinics (Sao Paulo). 2010.
Free PMC article

Abstract

Introduction: There is little data concerning the ability of Eurycoma longifolia Jack (EL) to reverse the inhibitory effects of estrogen on testosterone production and spermatogenesis. The aim of the present study was to determine the effect of EL on testicular histology and sperm count in estrogen-treated male rats.

Methods: Adult male Sprague-Dawley rats weighing 200-250 g were divided into four groups of six rats each. Group A (control) was given solvent in the same manner as the treated groups were given EL. Group B was treated with EL (8 mg/kg body weight) orally. Group C was treated with estradiol (E(2)) (intramuscular dose of 500 microg/kg body weight), and group D received a combined treatment of oral EL and intramuscular E(2). After fourteen consecutive days of treatment, rats from all groups were sacrificed and subjected to spermatogenic and epididymal sperm cell counts.

Results: The spermatogenic cell count in the E(2)-treated group was significantly decreased as compared to the control (p < 0.05) and EL+E(2)-treated groups (p < 0.05). A similar finding was found for the epididymal sperm count; the E(2)-treated group had a significant decrease in the count compared to the control (p < 0.05) and EL+E(2)-treated groups (p < 0.05). Rats that were treated with EL alone exhibited significantly higher sperm counts and sperm motility when compared to the control group (p < 0.05).

Conclusions: EL extract acts as a potential agent for reversing the effects of estrogen by increasing spermatogenesis and sperm counts in rats after fourteen consecutive days of treatment.

Keywords: Anatomy; Estrogen; Eurycoma longifolia Jack; Histology; Spermatogenesis; Testis.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
The testicular histology of the control (A), Eurycoma longifolia Jack-treated (B), estradiol-treated (C) and combined EL and estradiol-treated (D) rats. Letters in the micrographs indicate the lumen of the seminiferous tubule (L), spermatogenic cells (S) and interstitial tissue (I) (200× magnification)
Figure 2
Figure 2
Spermatogenic sperm counts. The values are shown as the mean ± standard deviation. Group B (EL treated) shows a marked increase in the spermatogenic cell count, compared to group A (control) and group D (EL + estradiol). The sperm count is significantly reduced in group C (estradiol-treated rats) compared to group A and group D
Figure 3
Figure 3
The percentage of motile sperms in rats treated with EL (B), estradiol (C) and a combination of EL and estradiol (D) compared to the control (A). The values are shown as the mean ± standard deviation. Group B shows a marked increase in the percentage of motile sperms compared to group A.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Epididymal sperm counts in rats treated with EL (B), estradiol (C) and a combination of EL and estradiol (D), compared to the control (A). The values are shown as the mean ± standard deviation. Group B shows a marked increase in the spermatogenic cell count compared to the control (group A) and group D (EL + estradiol). The cell count is significantly reduced in group D (estradiol-treated rats) compared to group A and group D
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