title: Effects of chronic administration of Stevia rebaudiana on fertility in rats.
abstract: A study conducted on prepubertal male rats showed that chronic administration (60 days) of a Stevia rebaudiana aqueous extract produced a decrease in final weight of testis, seminal vesicle and cauda epididymidis. In addition, the fructose content of the accessory sex glands and the epididymal sperm concentration are decreased. Stevia treatment tended to decrease the plasma testosterone level, probably by a putative affinity of glycosides of extract for a certain androgen receptor, and no alteration occurred in luteinizing hormone level. These data are consistent with the possibility that Stevia extracts may decrease the fertility of male rats.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Biologia, Setor de Fisiologia, Faculdade de Filosofia, Ciências e Letras, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil. msmelis@ffclrp.usp.br
authors.forename: M S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Melis
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004224:Diterpenes; D045786:Diterpenes, Kaurane; D005837:Genitalia, Male / Q000187:drug effects*; D005960:Glucosides / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D009929:Organ Size / Q000187:drug effects; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012741:Sexual Maturation / Q000187:drug effects; D013729:Terpenes / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D004224:Diterpenes; D045786:Diterpenes, Kaurane; D005960:Glucosides; D010936:Plant Extracts; D013729:Terpenes; C012043:stevioside; D013739:Testosterone