Effects of pomegranate juice consumption on sperm quality, spermatogenic cell density, antioxidant activity and testosterone level in male rats

• Published in: Clinical nutrition (Edinburgh, Scotland) Scotland), 2008-04, Vol.27 (2), p.289-296
• Main Authors: Türk, Gaffari, Sönmez, Mustafa, Aydin, Muhterem, Yüce, Abdurrauf, Gür, Seyfettin, Yüksel, Murat, Aksu, Emrah Hicazi, Aksoy, Hakan
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Analysis of Variance; Animals; Antioxidant enzymes; Antioxidants - metabolism; Beverages; Biological and medical sciences; Catalase - metabolism; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Feeding. Feeding behavior; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Gastroenterology and Hepatology; Glutathione - metabolism; Glutathione Peroxidase - metabolism; Lipid peroxidation; Lipid Peroxidation - drug effects; Male; Malondialdehyde - metabolism; Medical sciences; Metabolic diseases; Organ Size - drug effects; Oxidation-Reduction - drug effects; Oxidative Stress - drug effects; Plant Extracts - pharmacology; Pomegranate juice; Punicaceae - chemistry; Random Allocation; Rats; Rats, Wistar; Sperm characteristics; Sperm Count; Sperm Motility; Spermatogenic cell density; Spermatozoa - abnormalities; Spermatozoa - drug effects; Spermatozoa - physiology; Testosterone; Testosterone - blood; Vertebrates: anatomy and physiology, studies on body, several organs or systems
• ISSN: 0261-5614; 1532-1983
• DOI: 10.1016/j.clnu.2007.12.006

Summary Background & aim Pomegranate fruit is inescapably linked with fertility, birth and eternal life because of its many seeds. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of pomegranate juice (PJ) consumption on sperm quality, spermatogenic cell density, antioxidant activity and testosterone level of male healthy rats. Methods Twenty-eight healthy adult male Wistar rats were divided into four groups; each group containing seven rats. One milliliter distilled water, 0.25 mL PJ plus 0.75 mL distilled water, 0.50 mL PJ plus 0.50 mL distilled water and 1 mL PJ were given daily for seven weeks by gavage to rats in the first, second, third and fourth groups, respectively. Body and reproductive organ weights, spermatogenic cell density, sperm characteristics, levels of antioxidant vitamins, testosterone, and lipid peroxidation and, antioxidant enzyme activities were investigated. All analyses were done only once at the end of the seven week study period. Data were compared by analysis of variance (ANOVA) and the degree of significance was set at P < 0.05. Results A significant decrease in malondialdehyde (MDA) level and marked increases in glutathione (GSH), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) and catalase (CAT) activities, and vitamin C level were observed in rats treated with different doses of PJ. PJ consumption provided an increase in epididymal sperm concentration, sperm motility, spermatogenic cell density and diameter of seminiferous tubules and germinal cell layer thickness, and it decreased abnormal sperm rate when compared to the control group. Conclusion The results suggest that PJ consumption improves sperm quality and antioxidant activity of rats.