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. 2020 Jul 9:30:8.
doi: 10.1186/s12610-020-00107-3. eCollection 2020.

Rubus apetalus (Rosaceae) improves spermatozoa characteristics, antioxidant enzymes and fertility potential in unilateral cryptorchid rats

Désiré Alumeti Munyali  1   2 , Aimé Césaire Tetsatsi Momo  1 , Georges Romeo Bonsou Fozin  1 , Patrick Brice Deeh Defo  1 , Yannick Petnga Tchatat  1 , Boris Lieunang  1 , Pierre Watcho  1
Affiliations

Rubus apetalus (Rosaceae) improves spermatozoa characteristics, antioxidant enzymes and fertility potential in unilateral cryptorchid rats

Désiré Alumeti Munyali et al. Basic Clin Androl. .

Abstract
in English, French

Background: Cryptorchidism (CPT) is an important cause of male infertility. Rubus apetalus is a medicinal plant with a powerful antioxidant potential. We investigated the effects of aqueous and methanolic extracts of R. apetalus on spermatozoa parameters, antioxidant enzymes and fertility potential of rats with experimental unilateral CPT.

Method: Normal (n = 15), sham-operated (n = 15) and cryptorchid rats (n = 80; distributed into 16 groups of 5 rats/group) were treated for 2, 4 or 8 weeks with either distilled water (10 ml/kg/day), vitamin E (75 mg/kg/day), aqueous or methanolic extract of R. apetalus (12 and 60 mg/kg). Sex organ weights, spermatozoa parameters, testicular proteins, sex hormones, fertility potential, morphometric characteristics of testis and oxidative stress markers were measured.

Results: CPT significantly (p < 0.05-0.001) decreased testicular and epididymal weights, spermatozoa density, spermatozoa motility, spermatozoa normality, testicular proteins, LH, FSH and testosterone concentrations. In cryptorchid rats, peri-vascular fibrosis significantly increased (p < 0.001), while diameter of the seminiferous tube, germ cell thickness, gestation index and fertility index decreased when compared to control. Additionally, CPT induced oxidative stress by increasing lipid peroxidation and by reducing superoxide dismutase and catalase activities. These alterations were corrected by R. apetalus. For instance, a significantly increase (p < 0.05-0.001) in spermatozoa motility, normality, viability and density after 2, 4 and 8 weeks of treatment was noticed. R. apetalus also increased (p < 0.05-0.001) testicular proteins, gestation index (90-100%) and fertility index (90-100%), compared to the untreated cryptorchid rats.

Conclusion: R. apetalus boosts fertility potential in cryptorchid rats and could be considered as a promising alternative agent for the management of infertility associated with CPT.

Contexte et justificatif: La cryptorchidie (CPT) est. une importante cause de l’infertilité masculine dans le monde. Rubus apetalus est. une plante médicinale au potentiel antioxydant avéré. L’objectif de ce travail était d’évaluer les effets des extraits aqueux et méthanolique de R. apetalus sur les paramètres spermatiques, les enzymes antioxydantes et le potentiel de fertilité des rats à CPT unilatérale.

Méthode: Les rats normaux (n = 15), simulés (n = 15) et cryptorchides (n = 80; répartis en 16 groupes de 5 rats/groupe) ont été traités pendant 2, 4 ou 8 semaines avec de l’eau distillée (10 ml/kg/jour), la vitamine E (75 mg/kg/jour) ou l’extrait aqueux ou méthanolique de R. apetalus (12 et 60 mg/kg). La masse des organes sexuels, les caractéristiques spermatiques, les marqueurs du stress oxydatif, les hormones sexuelles, l’histomorphométrie testiculaire et la fertilité ont été mesurés au terme des traitements.

Résultats: La CPT a significativement diminué (p < 0,05-0,001) la masse testiculaire et épididymaire du côté cryptorchide. Le même constat était fait par rapport à la densité, à la motilité, à la normalité spermatique ainsi que les protéines testiculaires et les hormones sexuelles (LH, FSH et testostérone plasmatiques). Chez les rats cryptorchides, la fibrose péri-vasculaire a augmenté de manière significative (p < 0,001) tandis que le diamètre des tubes séminifères, l’épaisseur des cellules germinales, l’indice de gestation et l’indice de fertilité ont diminué par rapport au témoin. De plus, le CPT a induit un stress oxydatif caractérisé par la peroxydation lipidique et la réduction de l’activité des enzymes antioxydantes (SOD et catalase). Ces altérations ont été corrigées par R. apetalus. Une augmentation significative (p < 0,05-0,001) des paramètres spermatiques, des protéines testiculaires et des hormones sexuelles a été notée après 2, 4 et 8 semaines de traitement aux extraits de plante. R. apetalus a par ailleurs normalisé l’activité des enzymes antioxydantes et augmenté l’indice de gestation (90–100%) et l’indice de fertilité (90–100%) par rapport aux rats cryptorchides non traités.

Conclusion: R. apetalus augmente le potentiel de fertilité chez les rats cryptorchides et pourrait être une alternative prometteuse pour la prise en charge de l’infertilité masculine due à la cryptorchidie.

Keywords: Cryptorchidism; Fertility; Oxidative stress; Rat; Rubus apetalus.

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Conflict of interest statement

Competing interestsThe authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Experimental protocol of study. Number of rats per group = 5. Abbreviations: N: normal; SO: sham operated; DW: distilled water; Vit E: vitamin E; AE12 / AE60: aqueous extract administered at 12 mg/kg or 60 mg/kg; ME12 / ME60: methanolic extract administered at 12 mg/kg or 60 mg/kg
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Effects of different treatments on the relative weights of testes (a) and epididymides (b). Values are mean ± SEM. *: p < 0.05; Number of rats per group = 5.c: p < 0.001 compared to sham operated; #: p < 0.001 compared to normal; ¤: p < 0.001 compared to right testis (same group). Abbreviations: N: normal; SO: sham operated; DW: distilled water; Vit E: vitamin E; AE12 / AE60: aqueous extract administered at 12 mg/kg or 60 mg/kg; ME12 / ME60: methanolic extract administered at 12 mg/kg or 60 mg/kg
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Effects of different treatments on testicular protein levels. Values are mean ± SEM. Number of rats per group = 5. c: p < 0.001 compared to sham operated;#: p < 0.001 compared to normal;*p<0.001 compared to DW;¤: p < 0.001 compared to right testis (same group);Abbreviations: N: normal; SO: sham operated; DW: distilled water; Vit E: vitamin E; AE12 / AE60: aqueous extract administered at 12 mg/kg or 60 mg/kg; ME12 / ME60: methanolic extract administered at 12 mg/kg or 60 mg/kg
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
Effects of different treatments on testicular MDA (a), SOD (b) and catalase (c) activities. Values are mean ± SEM. Number of rats per group = 5.c: p < 0.001 compared to sham operated;#: p < 0.001 compared to normal;*: p<0.05;**: p<0.01***: p<0.001 compared to DW;¤: p < 0.001 compared to right testis (same group); α: p < 0.001 compared to 2 weeks (same group); β: p < 0.001 compared to 4 weeks (same group). Abbreviations: MDA: malondialdehyde; SOD: superoxide dismutase; N: normal; SO: sham operated; DW: distilled water; Vit E: vitamin E; AE12 / AE60: aqueous extract administered at 12 mg/kg or 60 mg/kg; ME12 / ME60: methanolic extract administered at 12 mg/kg or 60 mg/kg
Fig. 5
Fig. 5
Effects of different treatments on plasmatic testosterone (a), LH (b) and FSH (c). Values are mean ± SEM. Number of rats per group = 5. c: p < 0.001 compared to sham operated; #: p < 0.001 compared to normal;*: p<0.05;**: p<0.01***: p<0.001 compared to DW. Abbreviations: N: normal; SO: sham operated; DW: distilled water; Vit E: vitamin E; AE12 / AE60: aqueous extract administered at 12 mg/kg or 60 mg/kg; ME12 / ME60: methanolic extract administered at 12 mg/kg or 60 mg/kg
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