title: Do Pilea Microphylla Improve Sperm DNA Fragmentation and Sperm Parameters in Varicocelized Rats?
abstract: Varicocele is one of the most common causes of primary male infertility. Pilea microphylla (PM) is being used as folk medicine. This study was aimed to investigate the effects of PM in a rat model of varicocele. A total of 30 male Wistar rats were divided into control, sham, varicocele, accessory varicocele and PM-treated groups. After 10 weeks of varicocele induction, sperm parameters and chromatin (Aniline blue, acridine orange and toluidine blue) were evaluated, except for the treated and accessory groups that received 50 mg/kg PM orally daily for 10 weeks and then were sacrificed. Sperm parameters significantly decreased in varicocele groups (P < 0.01). Moreover, there was a negative correlation between the DNA fragmentation and sperm parameters in varicocelized rats. Administration of PM led to significantly increased sperm parameters and AO staining (P < 0.05). These findings suggest that PM improves sperm parameters and DNA fragmentation in varicocelized rats. PM can reduce the damage to sperm DNA but not chromatin condensation.
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Reza
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Heidari
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Rafieh
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Alizadeh
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine, Tehran Medical Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Niloufar
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Abbasi
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Parichehr
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Pasbakhsh
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Azim
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hedayatpour
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Mostafa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Farajpour
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Mohammad Reza
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Khaleghi
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Mehdi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Abbasi
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Ahmad Reza
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Dehpour
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002843:Chromatin; D004247:DNA / Q000187:drug effects; D053938:DNA Fragmentation; D005298:Fertility; D007248:Infertility, Male / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D008297:Male; D008517:Phytotherapy / Q000379:methods*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013076:Sperm Count; D013081:Sperm Motility / Q000187:drug effects; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D027003:Urticaceae; D014646:Varicocele / Q000150:complications*
chemical_list: D002843:Chromatin; D010936:Plant Extracts; D004247:DNA
keywords: Pilea microphylla; Rat; Sperm DNA fragmentation; Sperm chromatin; Sperm parameters; Varicocele