title: Withania somnifera improves semen quality by regulating reproductive hormone levels and oxidative stress in seminal plasma of infertile males.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the impact of Withania somnifera roots on semen profile, oxidative biomarkers, and reproductive hormone levels of infertile men.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Departments of Biochemistry and Urology, Chhatrapati Shahuji Maharaj Medical University, Lucknow, India.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seventy-five normal healthy fertile men (control subjects) and 75 men undergoing infertility screening.
  
  
  METHODS
  High-performance liquid chromatography assay procedure for quantization of vitamin A and E in seminal plasma. Biochemical parameters in seminal plasma were estimated by standard spectrophotometric procedures. Estimation of T, LH, FSH, and PRL in blood serum by RIA methods.
  
  
  METHODS
  Before and after the treatment, seminal plasma biochemical parameters, antioxidant vitamins, and serum T, LH, FSH, and PRL levels were measured.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Withania somnifera inhibited lipid peroxidation and protein carbonyl content and improved sperm count and motility. Treatment of infertile men recovered the seminal plasma levels of antioxidant enzymes and vitamins A, C, and E and corrected fructose. Moreover, treatment also significantly increased serum T and LH and reduced the levels of FSH and PRL.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The treatment with W. somnifera effectively reduced oxidative stress, as assessed by decreased levels of various oxidants and improved level of diverse antioxidants. Moreover, the levels of T, LH, FSH and PRL, good indicators of semen quality, were also reversed in infertile subjects after treatment with the herbal preparation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Chhatrapati Shahuji Maharaj Medical University, and Department of Pharmacology, State Government T. T. Hospital, Lucknow, India.
authors.forename: Mohammad Kaleem
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Ahmad
authors.forename: Abbas Ali
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Mahdi
authors.forename: Kamla Kant
authors.initials: KK
authors.lastname: Shukla
authors.forename: Najmul
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Islam
authors.forename: Singh
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rajender
authors.forename: Dama
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Madhukar
authors.forename: Satya Narain
authors.initials: SN
authors.lastname: Shankhwar
authors.forename: Sohail
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ahmad
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D042341:Gonadal Hormones / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007248:Infertility, Male / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008054:Lipid Peroxides / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D008517:Phytotherapy / Q000379:methods; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000494:pharmacology; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000737:chemistry; D011208:Powders / Q000008:administration & dosage; D011388:Prolactin / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood; D012661:Semen / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D055101:Semen Analysis; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D032341:Withania / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D042341:Gonadal Hormones; D008054:Lipid Peroxides; D010936:Plant Extracts; D011208:Powders; D011388:Prolactin; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone