title: Effect of Cissampelos capensis rhizome extract on human spermatozoa in vitro.
abstract: Cissampelos capensis is commonly known by the Afrikaans name 'dawidjies' or 'dawidjieswortel'. C. capensis is the most important and best-known medicinal plant of the family Menispermaceae used by the Khoisan and other rural people in the western regions of South Africa. Among numerous other ailments, it is traditionally taken to treat male fertility problems. Yet, no studies have investigated the effects of this plant or its extracts on human spermatozoa. The aim of study was to investigate the effects of C. capensis extracts on sperm function. A total of 77 semen samples were collected. Spermatozoa were washed with HTF-BSA medium and incubated with different concentrations of C. capensis (0, 0.05, 0.5, 5, 50, 200 μg ml(-1) ) for 1 h at 37 °C. Sperm motility, vitality, acrosome reaction, reactive oxygen species (ROS), capacitation, Annexin V binding, DNA fragmentation and mitochondrial membrane potential (Δψm ) were determined. While viability, Annexin V positivity and Δψm were not affected, the percentages of ROS-positive, TUNEL-positive, capacitated and hyperactivated spermatozoa increased significantly and dose-dependently. It is concluded that the alkaloids present in the extract of C. capansis rhizomes triggered sperm intrinsic superoxide production leading to sperm capacitation and DNA fragmentation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Biosciences, University of the Western Cape, Bellville, South Africa.
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Shalaweh
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Erasmus
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Weitz
authors.forename: R R
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: Henkel
mesh_terms: D000177:Acrosome / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D020101:Acrosome Reaction / Q000187:drug effects; D031606:Cissampelos; D053938:DNA Fragmentation / Q000187:drug effects; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D053078:Membrane Potential, Mitochondrial / Q000187:drug effects; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000378:metabolism; D027343:Rhizome; D013075:Sperm Capacitation / Q000187:drug effects; D013081:Sperm Motility / Q000187:drug effects*; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000187:drug effects*; D013481:Superoxides / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D010936:Plant Extracts; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D013481:Superoxides
keywords: Acrosome reaction; Cissampelos capensis; DNA fragmentation; capacitation; reactive oxygen species