Protective effects of Anthocleista djalonensis A. Chev root extracts against induced testicular inflammation and impaired spermatogenesis in adult rats

• Published in: Molecular biology reports Vol. 46; no. 6; pp. 5983 - 5994
• Main Authors: Ezirim, Chioma Y., Abarikwu, Sunny O., Uwakwe, Augustine A., Mgbudom-Okah, Chidimma J.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dordrecht Springer Netherlands 01.12.2019; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Acids; Animal Anatomy; Animal Biochemistry; Animals; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Busulfan; Developmental stages; Ethanol; Gentianales - metabolism; Gentianales - physiology; Germ cells; Histology; Infertility, Male; Inflammation; Inflammation - drug therapy; Interleukin 6; Life Sciences; Lipopolysaccharides; Male; Morphology; Oral administration; Original Article; Palmitic acid; Peroxidase; Plant Extracts - pharmacology; Plant Roots - metabolism; Rats; Rats, Wistar; Rodents; Seminiferous Tubules; Spermatids; Spermatids - drug effects; Spermatocytes; Spermatogenesis; Spermatogenesis - drug effects; Spermatogonia; Spermatogonia - drug effects; Testes; Testis - drug effects; Tubules; Testis; Inflammation; Germ cells; Busulfan; Spermatogenesis; LPS; Anthocleista djalonensis
• ISSN: 0301-4851; 1573-4978
• DOI: 10.1007/s11033-019-05033-w

This study was designed to explore the protective effects of methanol (Meth, 200 mg kg −1 body wt) and aqueous ethanol (Eth-OH, 200 mg kg −1 body wt) extracts of Anthocleista djalonensis roots on testicular inflammation induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS, 5 mg/kg body wt) and depletion of tubular germ cells induced by busulfan (15 mg/kg body wt) in rats after 60 days of oral administration. As expected, LPS stimulation of the animals significantly increased serum and intra-testicular interleukin-6 and serum nitrite levels which were significantly inhibited in the Eth-OH + LPS and Meth + LPS animals. The increase in testicular and not serum myeloperoxidase activity that was induced by LPS treatment was synergistically increased in the Eth-OH + LPS animals, whereas it was inhibited in the Meth + LPS animals compared to LPS-treated animals. Furthermore, the administration of the Eth-OH or Meth extracts protected against busulfan-induced depletion of tubular germ cells and promotes the re-population of the seminiferous tubules with germ cells (spermatogonia, spermatocytes and round spermatids) at different stages of development. The extracts were found to contain 7′-oxaspiro [cyclopropane-1,4′-tricyclo [3.3.1.0 (6,8)] nonan-2′-one], cis , cis -7,10-hexadecadienal, hexadecanoic acid, methyl ester, hexadecanoic acid, ethyl ester, 9,12-octadecadienoic acid, methyl ester, and 9,12-octadecadienoic acid (Z,Z)–) which may partly explain the observed anti-inflammatory effects. In conclusion, Meth extracts of A. djanonesis have better anti-inflammatory effects than the Eth-OH extract for the management of impaired testicular function due to inflammation. However both extracts exhibited protective effect on the histology of the testis allowing for the recovery of spermatogenesis.