Mecobalamin promotes mouse sperm maturation.
The effect of Mecobalamin (alpha-(5,6-dimethyl benzimidazolyl)-Co-methyl-cobamide: Me-B 12) on sperm production in the oligozoospermic mice experimentally induced by the treatment with adriamycin (0.3 mg/kg, three times a week for 5 weeks) was evaluated quantitatively by means of equilibrium sedimentation in Percoll. After centrifugation, the distribution profile of the sperm showed two peaks, i.e. the first peak near the bottom consisting of mature sperm with good motility and the second peak containing immature and/or immotile sperm. By oral administration of Me B 12 (1.0 mg/kg/day) to the oligozoospermic mice for 10 weeks, the sperm count, sperm motility, motile sperm count, diameter of seminiferous tubules and the percentage of good motile sperm with higher apparent density were increased as compared with those of the control. These results suggest that Me-B 12 enhanced the testicular function, resulting in an increased output of mature sperm.
Oshio
S
S
Department of Biology, College of Arts and Sciences, University of Tokyo, Japan.
Ozaki
S
S
Ohkawa
I
I
Tajima
T
T
Kaneko
S
S
Mohri
H
H
D000818:Animals; D002499:Centrifugation, Density Gradient; D004317:Doxorubicin; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D009845:Oligospermia / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy; D013076:Sperm Count / Q000187:drug effects; D013079:Sperm Maturation / Q000187:drug effects*; D013081:Sperm Motility / Q000187:drug effects; D013737:Testis / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000187:drug effects; D014805:Vitamin B 12 / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology
D004317:Doxorubicin; C019476:mecobalamin; D014805:Vitamin B 12