title: Effect of long-term administration of cordycepin from Cordyceps militaris on testicular function in middle-aged rats.
abstract: This study was carried out to examine the potential beneficial effect of cordycepin on the decline of testicular function induced with age. A total of 30 male Sprague-Dawley rats (twenty-four 12-month-olds and six 2-month-olds) were divided into five groups. The young control (YC) and middle-aged control (MC) groups received vehicle only. Cordycepin-treated groups were administered daily doses of oral cordycepin at 5, 10, and 20 mg/kg body weight for 4 months. As a result, the MC group exhibited epididymal weight loss, decreased sperm motility, and reduced spermatogenesis compared to the young control group. Interestingly, the epididymal weights of middle-aged rats were dose-dependently increased by treatment with cordycepin. Cordycepin also improved calcium levels and decreased urea and nitrogen, uric acid, and creatinine in the blood of middle-aged rats. In addition, cordycepin significantly increased sperm motility and the progressiveness of sperm movement. All cordycepin-treated groups showed well-arranged spermatogonia, densely packed cellular material, and increased numbers of mature spermatozoa in the seminiferous lumen compared to the middle-aged control group. These results indicate that long-term administration of cordycepin can counteract the decline of testicular function in middle-aged rats.
authors.affiliation: Department of Life Science, College of Biomedical and Health Science, Konkuk University, Chungju, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Sang-Hyun
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Sohn
authors.forename: Su-Chan
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Seock-Yeon
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Hwang
authors.forename: Sung-Won
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Il-Woung
authors.initials: IW
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Michael B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Ye
authors.forename: Si-Kwan
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D032661:Cordyceps / Q000737:chemistry*; D003839:Deoxyadenosines / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004822:Epididymis / Q000187:drug effects; D005298:Fertility / Q000187:drug effects; D012739:Gonadal Steroid Hormones / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015394:Molecular Structure; D025282:Mycelium / Q000737:chemistry; D009929:Organ Size / Q000187:drug effects; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013076:Sperm Count; D013081:Sperm Motility / Q000187:drug effects*; D013091:Spermatogenesis / Q000187:drug effects*; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000187:drug effects*; D013737:Testis / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D003839:Deoxyadenosines; D012739:Gonadal Steroid Hormones; C058120:cordycepin