title: Effect of aqueous leaf extract of Dalbergia sissoo Roxb. on spermatogenesis and fertility in male mice.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Antifertility effects of Dalbergia sissoo in male mice were investigated.
  
  
  METHODS
  Adult Parkes strain male mice were orally administered aqueous leaf extract of Dalbergia sissoo (50 and 100 mg/kg body weight/day) or distilled water or no treatment (controls) for 35 days (n = 5/group). Motility, viability and number of spermatozoa in the cauda epididymidis; testis histology; serum level of testosterone; and toxicological parameters were evaluated. To assess reversibility, more mice were treated with 100 mg/kg body weight of Dalbergia sissoo or distilled water (n = 5/group) for 35 days and sacrificed 56 days later. Fertility was also assessed separately.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Histologically, testes of Dalbergia-treated mice showed dissimilar degenerative changes in the seminiferous tubules. Significant reductions were noted (i) in epididymal sperm motility, viability and number, and (ii) in serum level of testosterone in Dalbergia-treated mice compared to controls. However, serum levels of alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase and creatinine, and haematological parameters were not affected. Also libido of Dalbergia-treated males showed no change, but their fertility was markedly suppressed. By 56 days of treatment withdrawal, alterations induced in the above parameters returned to control levels.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Dalbergia sissoo treatment caused reversible suppression of spermatogenesis and fertility in P mice, without eliciting detectable toxic effects.
authors.affiliation: Department of Zoology, Banaras Hindu University , Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh , India.
authors.forename: Hari Prakash
authors.initials: HP
authors.lastname: Verma
authors.forename: Shio Kumar
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Singh
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000988:Antispermatogenic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D035782:Dalbergia; D005298:Fertility / Q000187:drug effects*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018515:Plant Leaves; D013091:Spermatogenesis / Q000187:drug effects*; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000187:drug effects; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D000988:Antispermatogenic Agents; D010936:Plant Extracts; D013739:Testosterone
keywords: Dalbergia sissoo; Fertility; Spermatozoa; Testis; Testosterone