Dietary supplementation of ginger and turmeric improves reproductive function in hypertensive male rats

Publication date: Available online 13 October 2015 Source:Toxicology Reports Author(s): Ayodele Jacob Akinyemi, Isaac A. Adedara, Gustavo Roberto Thome, Vera Maria Morsch, Monique Tomazele Rovani, Lady Katerine Serrano Mujica, Thiago Duarte, Marta Duarte, Ganiyu Oboh, Maria Rosa Chitolina Schetinger Ginger [Zingiber officinale Roscoe (Zingiberaceae)] and turmeric [Curcuma longa Linn (Zingiberaceae)] rhizomes have been reportedly used in folk medicine for the treatment of hypertension. However, the prevention of its complication such as male infertility remains unexplored. Hence, the aim of the present study was to investigate the preventive effects of ginger and turmeric rhizomes on some biomarkers of male reproductive function in L-NAME-induced hypertensive rats. Male Wistar rats were divided into seven groups (n = 10): normotensive control rats; induced (L-NAME hypertensive) rats; hypertensive rats treated with atenolol (10mg/kg/day); normotensive and hypertensive rats treated with 4% supplementation of turmeric or ginger, respectively. After 14 days of pre-treatment, the animals were induced with hypertension by oral administration of L-NAME (40mg/kg/day). The results revealed significant decrease in serum total testosterone and epididymal sperm progressive motility without affecting sperm viability in hypertensive rats. Moreover, increased oxidative stress in the testes and epididymides of hypertensive rats was evidenced by significant decrease in ...
Source: Toxicology Reports - Category: Toxicology Source Type: research