title: Comparative study of artesunate, ACTs and their combinants on the spermatic parameters of the male guinea pig.
abstract: In this study, the comparative effects of half, normal and double clinical doses of artesunate; artesunate/sulfadoxine/pyrimethamine; artesunate/amodiaquine and their combinants [sulfadoxine/pyrimethamine and amodiaquine] on the semen parameters namely total sperm count, motility, morphology, debris and premature/primordial cell count of the male guinea-pig were investigated. The agents caused significant [P<0.05] decreases in total sperm count and sperm motility, with increases in abnormal sperm cells [morphology], debris and premature sperm cells. The effects were maximal at the subclinical doses and synergistic in the ACTs, compared to those of the individual partner agents. Artesunate, amodiaquine and artesunate/amodiaquine caused 54, 28 and 84% decreases in total sperm count, with 13, 31 and 64% decreases in sperm motility respectively. Conversely, the above drugs increased baseline morphology by 70, 30 and 264% respectively. Similar synergistic responses were obtained with artesunate/sufadoxine/pyrimethamine. These results may be explained in terms of the oxidative effects of these agents, through generation of free radicals, resulting in pathological damage to testicular structure/function.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Port Harcourt, Choba, P. M. B. 5323, Port Harcourt, Nigeria.
authors.forename: A W
authors.initials: AW
authors.lastname: Obianime
authors.forename: J S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Aprioku
mesh_terms: D000655:Amodiaquine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D000962:Antimalarials / Q000494:pharmacology*; D037621:Artemisinins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000077332:Artesunate; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004338:Drug Combinations; D004357:Drug Synergism; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D008297:Male; D011739:Pyrimethamine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013076:Sperm Count; D013081:Sperm Motility / Q000187:drug effects; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology; D013413:Sulfadoxine / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D000962:Antimalarials; D037621:Artemisinins; D004338:Drug Combinations; C515299:amodiaquine, artesunate drug combination; D000655:Amodiaquine; C001205:fanasil, pyrimethamine drug combination; D000077332:Artesunate; D013413:Sulfadoxine; D011739:Pyrimethamine