Effect of oral administration of Convolvulus Arvensis crude extract in reproductive performance of albino male rats

الملخص EN

This study was conduced to investigate the effect of alchoholic extract of the Convolvulus arvensis (C.

arvensis) on the reproductive performance and fertility of Albino male rats as the following parameters: testes weight, seminal vesicles, prostate gland weights, testosterone concentrations in the serum, some sperm characteristics, structural changes in testicular tissue, as well as the reproductive indices (fertility index).

Forty adult male rats (180-200gm) were randomly divided into four equal groups, 1st group was not treated with C.

arvensis extract and considered as control group while the other three groups were treated with 400, 600 and 800mg/kg B.W of C.

arvensis orally using special gavage tube for rats and considered as T1, T2 and T3 respectively.

Serum testosterone concentrations were determined at zero (before treatments) and after 35 days of experiment.

After 35 days of experiment, 8 rats weighted from each group and sacrificed to collect the testicular, epididymis, seminal vesicles, prostate gland weights and examined the concentration, motility, morphology, viability of the sperms.

Histological sections of the testes were done for structural changes in testicular tissue.

The results showed that treatment with C.

arvensis led to significant(P< 0.05) decrease in serum testosterone concentrations and a significant(P<0.05) decreased in the epididymis, seminal vesicles, prostate gland weights and in sperm concentration, motility, morphology, viability as well as abnormal structural changes in testicular tissue.

Reproductive indices examined in non treated females mated with treated rats showed a significant (P<0.05) decrease in the fertility index.

In conclusion, negative effect of C.

arvensis was noticed on testes functions manifested by some histological changes resulting in a decrease of testosterone and inhibition of spermatogenesis.