Fertility-enhancing effects of Prunus amygdalas oil on reproductive functions of male rats: A two-generation study

Kashif, Sadia Suri; Naeem, Sadaf; Khan, Saira Saeed; Razzaque, Aisha

doi:10.22038/ajp.2024.24590

Fertility-enhancing effects of Prunus amygdalas oil on reproductive functions of male rats: A two-generation study

Document Type : Original Research Article

Authors

¹ Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Karachi, Karachi, Pakistan

² Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Jinnah Sindh Medical University, Karachi, Pakistan

³ Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Queen Medical Centre, Nottingham University Hospitals, Nottingham, United Kingdom

10.22038/ajp.2024.24590

Abstract

Objective: Prunus amygdalas (Almond; PA) has extensively been used in traditional medicine and has been the source of robust phenolic compounds. The current study intended to evaluate the fertility-enhancing effect of PA on male rats infertility and reproductive performance of two successive generations of rats namely, F₀and F₁.
Materials and Methods: Chemical composition of the oil was established with the aid of Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS). The oil was then subjected to in-vitro antioxidant assay via DPPH (1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl) and ROS (reactive oxygen species), followed by in vivo toxicity testing. In the fertility assessment, 1 and 2 ml/kg of PA oil was given to rats up to pre-cohabitation, cohabitation, gestation and lactation period. The reproductive performance along with hormonal and antioxidant markers of F₁ generationwas estimated and histopathological evaluation of both sex organs was done. Further, ethanol-induced male infertility model was established and sex hormones, antioxidant markers (superoxide dismutase (SOD), Glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and lipid profile were assessed along with histopathology of male sex organs.
Results: The PA oil supplementation showed pronounced fertility outcomes in terms of raised litter size, sex hormones and antioxidant markers in both generations. Moreover, in ethanol-induced male infertility model, PA oil significantly restored sex hormones, ROS and GPx levels. Histological findings also endorsed better spermatogenesis with enhanced architecture.
Conclusion: These results strongly suggest that PA oil rich in PUFA (poly-unsaturated fatty acids) might be a promising treatment option in future for male/female sterility.

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