Spearmint induced hypothalamic oxidative stress and testicular anti-androgenicity in male rats – altered levels of gene expression, enzymes and hormones

• Published in: Food and chemical toxicology Vol. 46; no. 12; pp. 3563 - 3570
• Main Authors: Kumar, Vikas, Kural, Mool Raj, Pereira, B.M.J., Roy, Partha
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 01.12.2008; Elsevier
• Subjects: Androgen Antagonists - pharmacology; androgens; animal models; Animals; Anti-androgenecity; Antioxidants - metabolism; Biological and medical sciences; Blotting, Western; catalase; cytochrome P-450; endocrine-disrupting chemicals; enzyme activity; flavorings; free radical scavengers; gene expression; Gene Expression Profiling; Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic - drug effects; glutathione peroxidase; glutathione reductase (NADPH); Gonadotropins; herbal medicines; histopathology; Hormones - blood; hydroxysteroid dehydrogenases; Hypothalamus; Hypothalamus - drug effects; immunoblotting; Male; Medical sciences; medicinal plants; Mentha spicata; Mentha spicata - chemistry; mice; nutrition-genotype interaction; Organ Size - drug effects; oxidative stress; Oxidative Stress - drug effects; plant extracts; Plant Extracts - pharmacology; Rats; receptors; Receptors, Androgen - biosynthesis; regulatory proteins; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; steroidogenesis; Steroidogenic enzymes; Steroids - biosynthesis; superoxide dismutase; testes; Testis; Testis - drug effects; Testis - metabolism; Toxicology; traditional medicine; Testis; SRB-1; Anti-androgenecity; 3β-HSD; P450 SCC; StAR; Mentha spicata; Gonadotropins; Steroidogenic enzymes; Hypothalamus; 17β-HSD; P450 C17; Oxidative stress; Rat; Essential oil plant; Toxicity; Central nervous system; Male; Testicle; Encephalon; Dicotyledones; Angiospermae; Hormone; Enzyme; Rodentia; Gonadotropin; Gene expression; Male genital system; Vertebrata; Mammalia; Labiatae; Animal; Spermatophyta
• ISSN: 0278-6915; 1873-6351
• DOI: 10.1016/j.fct.2008.08.027

Mentha spicata Labiatae, commonly known as spearmint, can be used for various kinds of illnesses in herbal medicines and food industries. One of the prominent functions of this plant extract is its anti-androgenic activity. The present study investigated the probable correlation between oxidative stress in hypothalamic region and anti-androgenic action of this plant’s aqueous extract on rats. Decreased activities of enzymes like superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase and glutathione reductase in hypothalamus of treated rats indicated spearmint induced oxidative stress. Further RT-PCR and immunoblot analysis demonstrated the decreased expression of some of the steroidogenic enzymes, cytochrome P450scc, cytochrome P450C17, 3β-Hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (3β-HSD), 17β-Hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (17β-HSD) and other related proteins like, steroidogenic acute regulatory protein, androgen receptor and scavenger receptor class B-1. Further, in vitro enzyme assays demonstrated depressed activities of testicular 3β-HSD and 17β-HSD enzymes. Histopathology indicated a decreased sperm density in cauda epididymis and degeneration of ductus deference. Our study suggested that spearmint probably induced oxidative stress in hypothalamus resulting in decreased synthesis of LH and FSH which in turn down-regulated the production of testicular testosterone through the disruption of a number of intermediate cascades.