Authors
1
Biology-Animal Physiology, Islamic Azad University, Dehdasht Branch, Dehdasht, Iran.
2
Marine Biology, Islamic Azad University, Dehdasht Branch, Dehdasht, Iran
3
Environmental Science, Islamic Azad University, Dehdasht Branch, Dehdasht, Iran
4
Plant Pathology-Nematology, Islamic Azad University, Dehdasht Branch, Dehdasht, Iran
Abstract
Nowadays, to get rid of the side effects of chemical drugs, the use of medicinal plants is taken into consideration. Therefore, the present study examined the effects of the hydroalcoholic leaf extract of Vitex (Vitex agnus-castus) on the serum testosterone levels in male rats. For this purpose, 45 adult male Charles river strain rats with weight approximately about 210 to 250 g were divided to 3 groups including first experimental group (20 mg/day extract), second experimental group (40 mg/day extract), and sham group (2 ml distilled water/day). Extraction was performed using maceration method. For one month, dried leaf extraction, with two doses were dissolved in 2 ml of distilled water daily then given to groups of experimental rats by oral syringe with needle-gag doses and distilled water alone was given to sham group. At the end, the animal was anaesthetized by inhalation of ether and the blood was taken off from its heart. Serum concentration of testosterone was measured by ELISA. Data were analyzed using One Way ANOVA, Tukey test and SPSS Software. Results of this study were showed that serum levels of testosterone in the male rats in all three groups (sham , experimental 1 and experimental 2) in comparison to each other, had a significant difference (P<0.05). Tukey test analysis was showed that mean serum concentration of testosterone increased significantly in both experimental groups (1 and 2) in compared with sham group and decreased in the experimental group 2 (high dose) in compared with experimental group 1 (low dose) (P <0.05). By findings of this study concluded that sex hormone-like compounds present in the extract of Vitex (V. agnus-castus) were influenced on the hypothalamic - pituitary -gonad axis through dose dependent molecular or feedback mechanisms which a significant changes were caused in the serum levels of testosterone in the male rats.
Keywords
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