Cyclophosphamide-induced male subfertility in mice: An assessment of the potential benefits of Maca supplement.
Adejoke OnaolapoB P OladipoO J OnaolapoPublished in: Andrologia (2017)
Effects of Lepidium meyenii (Maca) on cyclophosphamide (CYP)-induced gonadal toxicity in male mice were investigated. Mice were assigned to six treatment groups: Vehicle control, CYP control, CYP plus oral Maca (500 or 1,000 mg/kg), and oral Maca (500 or 1,000 mg/kg). CYP was administered via the intraperitoneal route (days 1-2), while vehicle or Maca were administered daily for 28 days. On day 28, half of the animals in each group were either sacrificed or paired with age-matched females for fertility assessment. Plasma testosterone assay, sperm analysis and assessment of tissue antioxidant/morphological status were also carried out. CYP administration was associated with oxidative stress, subfertility and morphometric/morphological indices of gonadal injury, while administration of Maca mitigated CYP-induced gonadal toxicity and subfertility. This study shows that Maca is beneficial in the mitigation of CYP-induced male gonadal insufficiency and/or testicular morphological changes; however, further studies will be needed to ascertain its usability for this purpose in humans.
Keyphrases
- oxidative stress
- diabetic rats
- high glucose
- low dose
- physical activity
- high dose
- dna damage
- climate change
- high throughput
- healthcare
- endothelial cells
- social media
- mass spectrometry
- skeletal muscle
- young adults
- risk assessment
- adipose tissue
- metabolic syndrome
- electronic health record
- signaling pathway
- germ cell
- heat stress