Effect of Avena sativa (Oats) on Spermatogenesis and Reproductive Health

Abstract

Infertility is a major problem of the day amongst men and women and marked by no pregnancy even after one year of unprotected intercourse. Almost 30% of infertility has been related with male factors, concerning sperm-low concentration, poor motility, decreased viability, and deformities. Factors like pollution, drugs, stress, life style changes, toxicants and nutritional deficiencies inflict deleterious effects on reproductive health, especially spermatogenesis. Fluoride is one such potent toxicant to which humans are exposed. The problem of fluorosis is known for long in India, especially in Andhra Pradesh. It was reported in several studies that fluoride interferes with the structural and functional integrity of the male reproductive system resulting in male factor infertility. Oat, Avena sativa, has a wide range of chemical and mineral constituents. The present research has been undertaken to evaluate the efficacy of oats as a nutrient and food supplement to lessen the fluoride-induced infertility in male rats. In this study fluoride, at a dose of 0.01 g/kg body weight, administered through oral route, induced infertility by causing damage to histoarchitecture of the testis and decrease in the levels of plasma testosterone, FSH, and LH. Treatment with hydroalcoholic extract of oats resulted in decreased damage to the reproductive organs and lesser impact on sperm parameters- sperm count, viability, morphology, motility, etc. Form the present study it is concluded that oats has the ability to decrease the toxic effect of fluoride.