title: Mucuna pruriens improves male fertility by its action on the hypothalamus-pituitary-gonadal axis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To understand the mechanism of action of Mucuna pruriens in the treatment of male infertility.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Departments of Biochemistry, Urology, and Obstetrics and Gynecology, C.S.M. Medical University, Lucknow, India.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seventy-five normal healthy fertile men (controls) and 75 men undergoing infertility screening.
  
  
  METHODS
  High-performance liquid chromatography assay for quantitation of dopa, adrenaline, and noradrenaline in seminal plasma and blood. Estimation by RIA of hormonal parameters in blood plasma, namely T, LH, FSH, and PRL.
  
  
  METHODS
  Before and after treatment, serum T, LH, FSH, PRL, dopamine, adrenaline, and noradrenaline in seminal and blood plasma were measured.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Decreased sperm count and motility were seen in infertile subjects. Serum T and LH levels, as well as seminal plasma and blood levels of dopamine, adrenaline, and noradrenaline were also decreased in all groups of infertile men. This was accompanied by significantly increased serum FSH and PRL levels in oligozoospermic subjects. Treatment with M. pruriens significantly improved T, LH, dopamine, adrenaline, and noradrenaline levels in infertile men and reduced levels of FSH and PRL. Sperm count and motility were significantly recovered in infertile men after treatment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Treatment with M. pruriens regulates steroidogenesis and improves semen quality in infertile men.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, C.S.M. Medical University, Lucknow, India.
authors.forename: Kamla Kant
authors.initials: KK
authors.lastname: Shukla
authors.forename: Abbas Ali
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Mahdi
authors.forename: Mohammad Kaleem
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Ahmad
authors.forename: Satya Narain
authors.initials: SN
authors.lastname: Shankhwar
authors.forename: Singh
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rajender
authors.forename: Shyam Pyari
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Jaiswar
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D053627:Asthenozoospermia / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004298:Dopamine / Q000097:blood; D004837:Epinephrine / Q000097:blood; D005298:Fertility / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D007030:Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D008515:Medicine, Ayurvedic; D031299:Mucuna; D009490:Neurosecretory Systems / Q000187:drug effects*; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000097:blood; D009845:Oligospermia / Q000188:drug therapy*; D010902:Pituitary Gland / Q000187:drug effects; D028321:Plant Preparations / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012661:Semen / Q000187:drug effects; D013737:Testis / Q000187:drug effects; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D028321:Plant Preparations; D013739:Testosterone; D004298:Dopamine; D009638:Norepinephrine; D004837:Epinephrine