tribulus and Infertility--Male

Tribulus terrestris L. is an herbal plant that has long been used as sex stimulant and to treat male infertility. This systematic review collected the clinical trials and/or quasi-experimental studies on the effect of T. terrestris on sperm parameters in idiopathic male infertility.. To search the related articles, Cochrane Library, EMBASE, ProQuest, Clinicaltrial.gov, WHO, Google Scholar, MEDLINE via Pubmed, Web of Science, SID, Magiran, Irandoc, and Iranmedex databases were used without any time limitation. Words used to search were T. terrestris L., Tribestan, male infertility and sperm parameters based on the MeSH glossary. To assess the eligibility of the articles, the views of the two authors and in cases where there was no agreement, the third person was used.. Through searching of the databases, 5775 articles were identified, of which 3509 were entered after removing the duplicates. Afterward, 102 articles were screened for inclusion. Finally, 7 articles were included in this systematic review. Only one quasi-experimental without control arm article reported that the use of T. terrestris L. in the treatment of idiopathic male infertility was not effective, In the others, T. terrestris L. was reported to be effective in improving some or all parameters of the sperm, namely number, motility and morphology.. The results of the present systematic review showed that the consumption of T terrestris L., in general, resulted in the improvement of sperm parameters. This result was obtained from 6 out of the 7 articles.

Topics: Animals; Humans; Infertility, Male; Male; Plant Extracts; Spermatozoa; Tribulus

Tribulus terrestris is an annual herb of the Zygophyllaceae family and is commonly known as Gokshur, Gokharu, or puncturevine. Flavonoids, alkaloids, saponins, lignin, amides, and glycosides are the main active phytoconstituents of this plant. Infertility is defined by the failure to conceive a child after one year or more of regular unprotected sexual intercourse. Infertility affects society at large and has a negative impact on the social and emotional aspects of the patient. This in-depth review presents several studies that evaluate the role of Tribulus terrestris in a chronological order to help us better understand the exact mechanism by which this herbal medicine acts in male infertility. In conclusion, the exact role of Tribulus terrestris in male infertility is still controversial and needs future double-blind placebo-controlled studies that deploy larger cohorts.

Topics: Humans; Infertility, Male; Male; Phytotherapy; Plant Extracts; Plants, Medicinal; Tribulus

Infertility is defined as inability of a sexually active couple to conceive after 1 year of regular intercourse without contraception. Male factors account for 20%-50% of cases of infertility. The aim of this study was to review medicinal plants that proposed to improve sperm abnormalities in traditional Persian medicine. For this purpose, PubMed, Scopus, GoogleScholar and Cochrane library were explored for medicinal plants used in traditional Persian medicine for sperm abnormalities to obtain studies giving any evidence for their efficacy and pharmacological mechanisms related to male infertility. Data were collected for the years 1966 to March 2015. For some of them, including Chlorophytum borivilianum, Crocus sativus, Nigella sativa, Sesamum indicum, Tribulus terrestris, Mucuna pruriens and Withania somnifera, more reliable evidence was found. The mechanisms involved in the beneficial effects of medicinal plants in sperm abnormalities are antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-oedematous and venotonic activity as well as containing precursors for sperm production and increasing blood testosterone level. Various phytochemical categories including saponins, phytosterols, carotenoids, oxygenated volatile compounds, phenolic compounds and alkaloids seem to be responsible for these beneficial effects. Further studies are recommended for obtaining more conclusive results about the efficacy and safety of the mentioned medicinal plants.

Topics: Alkaloids; Antioxidants; Asthenozoospermia; Carotenoids; Chlorophyta; Crocus; Evidence-Based Medicine; Humans; Infertility, Male; Iran; Male; Medicine, Traditional; Nigella sativa; Oligospermia; Phenols; Phytosterols; Phytotherapy; Plant Preparations; Plants, Medicinal; Saponins; Sesamum; Tribulus

The use of herbal and medicinal plants to treat male infertility is well known in history. Tribulus terrestris L. (TT) belongs to the Zygophyllaceae family and it is used in folk medicine to vitalize and also improve both physical performance and sexual function in men in addition to the protective effect of the gross saponins of TT against ischemic stroke and its clinical anti-inflammatory property.. This study aimed to investigate the effects of methanol extract of T. terrestris on nicotine hydrogen tartrate and lead-induced degeneration of sperm quality in male rats and to identify the volatile bioactive non-polar compounds thought to be responsible for its activity using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS).. The effect of T. terrestris on nicotine hydrogen tartrate and lead-induced infertility was evaluated in male rats. Fifty-four mature male albino rats weighing 220-250 g body weight were used. The rats were randomly divided into 9 equal groups (n = 6). Infertility was induced by administering nicotine hydrogen tartrate (0.50 mg/kg) through peritoneal injection (i.p.) or lead acetate (1.5 g/L) orally with drinking water for sixty days. Two doses (50 and 100 mg/kg body weight of the animal) of T. terrestris were also used. At the end of the experimental period, the rats were anesthetized and sacrificed. Blood samples were collected. Hormonal analyses were carried out on the serum. The testicle, epididymis, and accessory sex organs (seminal vesical and prostates) were removed for histopathological analysis. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis of the methanol extract was also carried out to identify major volatile compounds in T. terrestris methanol extract.. Nicotine and lead toxicity caused a significant (p < 0.05) decrease in the number of sperm, motility, and an increase in the sperm abnormalities such as the reduction in weight and size of sexual organs (testis, epididymis, and accessory sex glands), reduction of diameter and length of seminiferous tubules. The administration of T. terrestris methanol extract, however, improved the semen quantity and quality, sexual organ weights, and fertility of male rats and, thus, ameliorated the adverse effects of nicotine and lead. Ten major compounds were found from the GC-MS analysis of the extract of T. terrestris methanol extract.. Findings showed that T. terrestris plant methanolic extracts ameliorated nicotine hydrogen tartrate and lead-induced degeneration of sperm quality in male rats. The GC-MS analysis of the T. terrestris plant methanolic extracts revealed the presence of several important bioactive compounds which were thought to be responsible for the ameliorative effect. Further isolation and evaluation of the individual components would provide relevant lead to finding new drugs.

Topics: Animals; Body Weight; Infertility, Male; Lead; Male; Methanol; Nicotine; Plant Extracts; Rats; Spermatozoa; Tartrates; Tribulus

Topics: Adult; Body Composition; Dihydrotestosterone; Humans; Infertility, Male; Male; Middle Aged; Plant Extracts; Semen; Semen Analysis; Sperm Count; Sperm Motility; Spermatozoa; Tribulus