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Spermicidal activity and antifertility activity of ethanolic extract of Withania somnifera in male albino rats

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Abstract

The aim of this study is to highlight the work on plant drugs and their bioactive extracts involved in male anti-fertility mechanism. The ethanol extract of Withania somnifera was found to be water soluble. In the present study we have evaluated the effective spermicidal concentration of this extract on male albino rat sperm, by conducting "Sander-Cramer test". The minimum effective spermicidal concentrations of Withania somnifera stem extract were found to be 10±0.06 mg/ million sperm. After exposure of extract, there were no morphological changes observed in the head, mid -piece & tail of sperm. In the in-vivo study, a dose dependent reduction in the epididymal sperm count and percentage motility were observed. These results showed that Withania somnifera extract has antifertility effect on male rat reproduction, sexual behavior and epdidymal sperm concentration. So ethanol extract of Withania somnifera stem is a potent spermicide which completely immobilized the one million of rat sperm within 20s.

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... (Zegers-Hochschild et al., 2009). Twenty four to forty two percent of male infertility is caused by reduced sperm quality related to increasing ROS level (Singh, 2013;Martin-hidalgo et al., 2019). Excessive ROS level in the body may cause oxidative stress and cause male infertility (Singh, 2013). ...
... Twenty four to forty two percent of male infertility is caused by reduced sperm quality related to increasing ROS level (Singh, 2013;Martin-hidalgo et al., 2019). Excessive ROS level in the body may cause oxidative stress and cause male infertility (Singh, 2013). Chronic use of Monosodium Glutamate (MSG) may trigger ROS production and reduce follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) and Luteinizing Hormone (LH) levels, followed with reduced level of testosterone (World Health Organization (WHO), 2010). ...
... On the other hand, WS root extract was found to decrease libido and sexual function which led to impotency and erectile dysfunction in animal studies [30]. Ethanolic WS fruit and stem extract were found to induce infertility in male rats due to the decrease in sperm motility, count, and degeneration of seminiferous tubules, although this extract did not have an effect on sperm morphology [28,53,56]. ...
... Normalizing lactate, phenylalanine, glutamine, citrate, and histidine in seminal fluid are another feature of WS extract which improves enzymatic processes in tricarboxylic acid cycle (TCA) and fatty acid metabolism [12,59]. On the other hand, some animal studies have suggested that WS extract may cause reversible spermicidal and infertilizing effect in male and delayed puberty in both sexes; this might be due to the dose, preparation method, adjuvant components, and duration of use designated in mentioned studies [28,30,49,53,56]. ...
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Introduction Withania somnifera (WS) also known as ashwagandha is a well-known medicinal plant used in traditional medicine in many countries for infertility treatment. The present study was aimed at systemically reviewing therapeutic effects of WS on the reproductive system. Methods This systematic review study was designed in 2016. Required data were obtained from PubMed, Scopus, Google Scholar, Cochrane Library, Science Direct, Web of Knowledge, Web of Science, and manual search of articles, grey literature, reference checking, and expert contact. Results WS was found to improve reproductive system function by many ways. WS extract decreased infertility among male subjects, due to the enhancement in semen quality which is proposed due to the enhanced enzymatic activity in seminal plasma and decreasing oxidative stress. Also, WS extract improved luteinizing hormone and follicular stimulating hormone balance leading to folliculogenesis and increased gonadal weight, although some animal studies had concluded that WS had reversible spermicidal and infertilizing effects in male subjects. Conclusion WS was found to enhance spermatogenesis and sperm related indices in male and sexual behaviors in female. But, according to some available evidences for spermicidal features, further studies should focus on the extract preparation method and also dosage used in their study protocols.
... According to the authors, the dose used was 15 times higher than the dose that humans take 3. Ganu et al. [11] do not describe how the extract is prepared. The DTU Food Institute report said that it had included the study by Ganu et al., but here, it must be noted that the study is inadequately described when it comes to extract preparation, experimental design, and results 4. Abdel-Magied et al. [12] do not comply with API standards for aqueous extracts and it is prepared with leaves instead of the root 5. Al-Qarawi et al. [13] investigated the effects of an aqueous extract of the leaves 6. Singh et al.: [14] The authors prepared an ethanol extract (50% ethanol) of the dried stem and do not comply with API standards and uses another part and not the root 7. Mali et al.: [15] Does not comply with API standards and used another part of the plant and not the root as it is a 50% ethanol extract of the fruit of W. somnifera 8. Ahmad et al., Mahdi et al., and Gupta et al.: [16][17][18] do not describe how the extract was prepared 9. Ambiye et al.: [19] It does not describe how the extract was prepared and what type it is 10. Lopresti et al.: [20] It is not known how it was prepared the extract made from the root and leaf of W. somnifera 11. ...
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Ashwagandha ( Withania somnifera [L.] Dunal) is one of the most renowned Ayurvedic medicinal plants, extensively used in traditional Indian medicine systems such as Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani, and Sowa Rigpa for millennia. Its medicinal uses of the root are documented in ancient texts such as the Charaka samhita , Sushruta samhita , and various Nighantus . Recognized globally, Ashwagandha is included in numerous pharmacopoeias, including the Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India (API), British Pharmacopoeia, and United States Pharmacopoeia. Despite its extensive use and documented benefits, Ashwagandha faced scrutiny in Denmark. The Danish Veterinary and Food Administration banned Ashwagandha based on a 2020 report by the Technical University of Denmark (DTU). This report has been criticized for its technical, scientific, and ethical flaws, including reliance on unverified sources and omission of significant data from authoritative compendiums such as the API. Notably, the report’s references often included studies that did not adhere to established standards for Ashwagandha extracts. Furthermore, the alleged abortifacient properties cited in the Danish report are not supported by extensive reviews of traditional texts and modern scientific literature, which indicates the safety of Ashwagandha when used appropriately. This article aims to provide a comprehensive evaluation of the Danish report, emphasizing the necessity of adhering to rigorous scientific standards and accurately representing historical and contemporary data on Ashwagandha .
... The group that consumed 2.5 percent powdered ashwagandha roots had the highest values, which had been 0.13 and 0.19 ng/ml, respectively. The findings are consistent with [37] that ashwagandha extract has antifertility results on the concentration of epididymal sperm in male rats, their sexual behavior, and their reproductive performance. Thus, ashwagandha ethanol extract is an effective spermicide that rendered a million-rat sperm completely motionless in about twenty seconds. ...
... These results showed that Withania somnifera extract has antifertility effect on male rat reproduction, sexual behavior and epididymal sperm concentration. Hence, ethanolic extract of Withania somnifera stem is a potent spermicide which completely immobilized the one million of rat sperm within 20s [47]. ...
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... The tail of the epididymis of each rat was charged immediately after the sacrifice, and then shredded in a foot glass containing 10 mL of 0.9% NaCl previously incubated in a water bath at 36°C [17][18][19][20]. ...
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