title: Effect of Withania somnifera (L.) Dunal on Sex Hormone and Gonadotropin Levels in Addicted Male Rats.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Opioid consumption has been widely increasing across the globe; how- ever, it can cause adverse effects on the body. Morphine, an opioid, can reduce sex hor- mones and fertility. Withania somnifera (WS) is a traditional herb used to improve sexual activities. This study strives to investigate the effect of WS on sex hormones and gonado- tropins in addicted male rats.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this experimental study, forty-eight male National Maritime Research Institute (NMRI) rats were randomly divided into four groups: i. Control group, ii. WS-treated control group, iii. Addicted group, and iv. WS-treated addicted group. Wa- ter-soluble morphine was given to rats for 21 days to induce addiction, concurrently the treated groups (2 and 4) also received WS plant-mixed pelleted food (6.25%). At the end of the treatment, the sex hormone and gonadotropin levels of the rats' sera were deter- mined in all the groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Except for follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), morphine reduced most of the gonadotropin and sex hormone levels. Whereas WS caused a considerable increase in the hormones in the treated addicted group, there was only a slight increase in the treated control group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  WS increased sex hormones and gonadotropins-especially testosterone, es- trogen, and luteinizing hormone-in the addicted male rats and even increased the proges- terone level, a stimulant of most sex hormones in addicted male rats.
authors.affiliation: Neurophysiology Research Center, Shahed University, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Batool
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Rahmati
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Shahed University, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Mohammad Hassan
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Ghosian Moghaddam
authors.affiliation: Neurophysiology Research Center, Shahed University, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Mohsen
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Khalili
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Shahed University, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Ehsan
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Enayati
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Shahed University, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Maryam
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Maleki
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Shahed University, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Saeedeh
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rezaeei
keywords: Estrogen; Gonadotropins; Morphine; Testosterone; Withania somnifera