Document Type : Original research articles
Authors
1
Department of Nutrition and Food Sciences, Faculty of Home Economics, Menoufia University, Shibin El-Kom, Egypt.
2
Dept. Nutrition and Food Sciences, Faculty of Home Economics, Menoufia University, Shibin El Kom, Egypt
3
Nutrition and food Science department, Faculty of Home Economics, Menoufia University
Abstract
This study investigated the influence of ashwagandha root powder and its ethanolic extract on infertility rats. Thirty-six male albino rats have been divided into two main groups. Group 1 (6 rats)
assigned as normal
control
group
and fed on basal diet. The rest (30 rats) were injected with cadmium chloride at a dose of 0.1 mg/kg of the rat’s weight for 10 days to induce infertility and then divided into 5 groups of 6 rats each. Group 2
fed
basal diet only
and assigned
as a control (+); groups (3–4)
were fed
the
basal diet
plus
(2.5 and 5%) of ashwagandha root powder; groups (5–6)
were fed the
basal diet plus (250 and 500 mg/kg) ashwagandha root ethanolic extract orally. After the four-week trial was over, the rats were slaughtered. Blood
samples
w
ere
collected for determination of
kidney functions (
urea, creatinine,
and
uric acid
)
,
hormones (
luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH),
and
testosterone
)
,
antibodies (
IgG,
and
IgM), blood lipids (TC, TG, LDL-c, VLDL-c, and HDL-c), and liver enzymes (ALP, ALT, and AST). The results revealed that using ashwagandha root resulted in a significant rise in testosterone and FSH, a reduction in LH hormone, a drop in glucose, lipid fractions, renal and liver biomarkers, and a reverse impact on HDL-c. In conclusion, the administration of ashwagandha root powder and extract can lower the side effects of a cadmium chloride testicular toxicant and improve the health status of the testis with an increase in reproductive and immune potential.
Keywords
Main Subjects
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