Abstract
The effects of Pueraria mirifica (PM) on reproductive organs and fertility of adult male mice were investigated. Male mice were divided into four groups (10 mice/group). Groups 1–3 were orally treated with PM at doses of 0 (PM-0), 10 (PM-10), and 100 (PM-100) mg/kg BW/d in 0.2 mL distilled water, and group 4 was subcutaneously injected with 200 μg/kg BW/d of synthetic estrogen diesthylstibestol (DES). The treatment schedule was separated into two periods: treatment and posttreatment (8 wk for each period). The PM-10 and PM-100 treatments had no effect on testicular weight, sperm number, and serum LH, FSH, and testosterone levels. Only the PM-100 treatment reduced weights of epididymes and seminal vesicle and the sperm motility and viability. Histopathological examination demonstrated that testis, epididymis, and seminal vesicle were normal in all doses of PM treatment. PM-treated males showed no alterations in mating efficiency and on causing pregnancy of their female partners. DES injection impaired all those parameters. Offspring fathered by the PM-and DES-treated males exhibited neither malformations nor change of body weight gains, and the reproductive organ weights of 50-d old pups were in the normal range. The present data clearly demonstrate that a long-term treatment of PM at doses 10 and 100 mg/kg BW/d, via oral route, does not alter a male fertility and a hypothalamus pituitary-testis axis. Although PM-100 can cause some moderate impairment, no persistent effects were observed. Most of PM-treated mice increased the mating efficiency after stop treatment.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Kamboj, V. P. and Dhawan, B. N. (1982). J. Ethnopharmacol. 6, 191–220.
Fugh-Berman, A. and Kronenberg, F. (2001). Menopause 8, 333–337.
Usui, T., Ikeda, Y., Tagami, T., et al. (2002). J. Endocrinol. 175, 289–296.
Suntara, A. (ed.) (1931). The remedy pamphlet of Kwao Kure Tuber of Luang Anusarnsuntar akromkarnpisit. Chiang Mai Upatipongsa Press: Chiang Mai, Thailand.
Pop, G. S., Grundy, H. M., Jones, H. E. H., and Tait, S. A. S. (1958). J. Endocrinol. 17, 15–16.
Chansakaow, S., Sekine, T. I. K., Okada, M., Higuchi, Y., Kudo, M., and Chaichantipyuth, C. (2000) J. Nat Prod. 63, 173–175.
Chansakaow, S., Sekine, T. I. K., Okada, M., Higuchi, Y., Kudo, M., and Chaichantipyuth, C. (2000). Planta Med. 66, 572–575.
Muangdet, N. and Anuntalabhochai, S. (1986). J. Sci. Fac. CMU 12, 28–40.
Jones, H. E. H. and Pope, G. S. (1960). J. Endocrine 20, 229–235.
Malaivijitnond, S., Chansri, K., Kijkuokul P., Urasopon, N., and Cherdshewasart, W. (2006). J. Ethnopharm. 107, 354–360.
Malaivijitnond, S., Kiatthaipipat, P., Cherdshewasart, W., Watanabe, G., and Taya, K. (2004). J. Pharmacol. Sci. 96, 428–435.
Trisomboon, H., Malaivijitnond, S., Watanabe, G., and Taya, K. (2004). J. Pharmacol. Sci. 94, 51–59.
Trisomboon, H., Malaivijitnond, S., Watanabe, G., and Taya, K. (2005). Endocrine 26, 33–39.
Trisomboon, H., Malaivijitnond, S., Watanabe, G., Cherdshewasart, W., and Taya, K. (2006). Endocrine 1, 129–134.
Muangman, V. and Cherdshewasart, W. (2001). Siriraj Hosp. Gaz. 53, 300–309.
Chivapat, S., Chavalittumrong, P., Rattanajarasroj, S., Chuthaputti, A., and Panyamang, S. (2000). J. Med. Sci. 42, 202–223.
Miura, T., Miura, C., Ohta, T., Nader, M. R., Todo, T., and Yamauchi, K. (1999). Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 264, 230–234.
Sharpe, R. M. (1993). J. Endocrinol. 136, 357–360.
Pentikainen, V., Erkkila, K., Suomalainen, L., Parvinen, M., and Dunkel, L. (2000). J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 85, 2057–2067.
Robaire, B., Duron, J., and Hales, B. F. (1987). Biol. Reprod. 37, 327–334.
Goyal, H. O., Braden, T. D., Mansour, M., Williams, C. S., Kamaleldin, A., and Srivastava, K. K. (2001). Biol. Reprod. 64, 927–934.
Johnson, M. H. and Everitt, B. J. (eds.) (1995) Essential reproduction, 4th ed. Blackwell Science Ltd: New York.
Fritz, W. A., Wang, J., Eltoum, I.-E., and Lamartiniere, C. A. (2002). Mol. Cell Endocrinol. 186, 89–99.
Rajfer, J. and Coffey, D. S. (1979). Invest. Urol. 17, 3–8.
Naslund, M. J. and Coffey, D. S. (1986). J. Urol. 136, 1139–1140.
Santti, R., Makela, S., Strauss, L., Korkman, J., and Kostian, M. L. (1998). Toxicol. Ind. Health 14, 223–237.
Cooper, T. G. (1998). J. Reprod. Fertil. Suppl. 53, 119–136.
Senger, P. L. (ed.) (1999) Pathways to prognancy and parturition, 1st ed. Current Conceptions, Inc.: Washington, DC.
O'Donnell, L., Robertson, K. M., Jones, M. E., and Simpson, E. R. (2001). Endocr. Rev. 22, 289–318.
Hess, R. A. (2003) Reprod. Biol. Endocrinol. 9, 1–52.
Gad, S. C. and Chenglis, C. R. (eds.) (1992) Animal models in toxicology. Marcel Dekker, New York.
Kang, K. S., Che, J. H., and Lee, Y. S. (2002). Food Chem. Toxicol. 40, 43–51.
Cherdshewasart, W. (2003). J. Sci. Res. Chula Univ. 28, 1–12.
Cherdshewasart, W., Cheewasopit, W., and Picha P. (2004) J. Ethnopharmacol. 93, 255–260.
Sufi, S. B. Donaldson, A., and Jeffcoate, S. L. (1986). In: WHO matched reagent program method manual: WHO Collaborating Center for Research and Reference Services in the Immunoassay of Hormones in Human Reproduction, London, pp. 145–169.
World Health Organization (1999). WHO laboration on manual for the examination of human semen of sperm-cervical mucus interaction, (4th ed.), Cambridge University Press: Cambridge.
Makler, A. (1978). Fertil. Steril. 30, 192–199.
Humason, G. L. (ed.) (1972). Animal tissue techniques, (3rd ed.). W. H. Freeman and Company, USA.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Jaroenporn, S., Malaivijitnond, S., Wattanasirmkit, K. et al. Effects of pueraria mirifica, an herb containing phytoestrogens, on reproductive organs and fertility of adult male mice. Endocr 30, 93–101 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1385/ENDO:30:1:93
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1385/ENDO:30:1:93