Effects of Gelam honey on sperm quality and testis of rat
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
1-1-2011
Abstract
The present study aimed to elucidate the possible protective effects of Gelam honey on sperm quality and testis histology against infertility related problems. Control and treated groups of 4 - 5 weeks old male Sprague-Dawley rats were force-fed daily with 1.0 mL/100 g body weight of normal saline (0.9%) and Gelam honey, respectively. After 60 days of treatments, reproductive organs of the anesthetized rats were removed to assess sperm parameters and histology of testis. Sperm count of treated group was significantly higher (18.85 +/- 3.72x10(5)/mL) than control group (17.05 +/- 3.12x10(5)/mL) (p<0.05). Based on sperm morphology, treated group showed significantly higher percentage of normal sperm (96.83 +/- 0.03%) as compared to control group (94.87 +/- 0.01%) (p<0.01). Head and tail abnormalities sperm were also significantly reduced in the treated rats (p<0.05). The number of spermatogenic cells in testis of treated group were abundant as compared to control group. Seminiferous tubules of treated group were densely packed with spermatogenic cells with small lumen filled up with sperm tail. This study suggested that Gelam honey has the potential to increase the fertility of male rats by increasing sperm count and number of sperm with normal morphology.
Keywords
Honey, Sperm quality, Sprague dawley rats, Testis histology, Male-infertility, Male-fertility
Divisions
InstituteofBiologicalSciences
Publication Title
Sains Malaysiana
Volume
40
Issue
11
Publisher
Penerbit Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia
Additional Information
Institute of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science Building, University of Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, MALAYSIA