POTENTIAL MALE CONTRACEPTIVE EFFECT OF ERIOBOTRYA JAPONICA LEAVES EXTRACT

Abstract

Nowadays, the stability of population growth is becoming one of the common global social and health problems that could be solved via contraception. Current research in the field of male contraceptives is focusing on the use of oral herbs. Eriobotrya japonica (Loquat) is a medicinal plant that has been commonly valued for its anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antidiabetic, hypocholesteremic, and antitumor properties. The present study aimed to investigate the effects of the oral administration of loquat aqueous leaves extract on the fertility of male Balb/c mice. For this aim, six-eight-weeks old male Balb/c mice (~25g) were orally administered (100 mg/Kg/day) loquat leaves extract for 10 and 30 days. The effects of this extract on semen parameters, seminiferous tubules architecture, levels of male sex hormones, glucose and cholesterol, and mRNA levels of key enzymes involved in steroidogenesis were determined. These parameters were also measured following 20 days post-treatment withdrawal. Our results showed that loquat extract administered for 10 and 30 days exerted antifertility effects including a significant decrease in sperm motility, viability and count, and in testosterone and progesterone levels concomitant with serious arrest in spermatogenesis. The levels of prolactin significantly increased with loquat treatment for 10 and 30 days. This extract inactivated the steroidogenesis pathway. All these alterations were significantly restored to normal in all the treated animals after 20 days of treatment withdrawal. No changes in the levels of glucose and cholesterol were noticed. Loquat extract is an effective and potential reversible male contraceptive herb.