Herbal medicine has been used for thousands of years and it is considered by many to offer an alternative treatment for various diseases, particularly lifestyle diseases that require the lifelong use of medicines. It is also believed that herbal medicine has better compatibility with humans….CONTINUE READING...CONTINUE READING
Although some people find them helpful, just like conventional medicines, herbal medicines can be potentially harmful if not used correctly. They can trigger unexpected side effects, like infertility, when taken for a prolonged time.
Researchers, in a new study, said that prolonged intake of common medicinal plants such as bitter leaf, Momordica charantia, Moringa oleifera, Jatropha curcas, and Rauvolfia vomitoria may have the potential to reduce sex hormones when consumed, hence, they should be used with caution.
Momordica charantia also called bitter melon or bitter gourd is also referred to as Ejirin were (Yoruba), Ndeme (Igbo) and Garafun (Hausa). Various parts of the bittergourd plant such as the seed, fruits and even the whole plants have been used in the treatment of many conditions such as pile, jaundice, abdominal pain, diabetes, aid weight loss, and lower blood pressure.
Commonly called bitter leaf, Vernonia amygdalina is used to relieve stomach ache, lower high blood pressure and blood sugar, enhance fertility, relieve insomnia, detoxify the body and enhance fertility.
Moringa oleifera, also called horseradish tree or drumstick tree, is used to treat malnutrition, enhance sex drive, support cognition and mood, augment breast milk in lactating mothers. It is known as ‘Barambo’ in Hausa, ‘Odudu Oyibo’ in Igbo and ‘Ewele’ in Yoruba.
Jatropha curcas, commonly referred to as Barbados nut, physic nut, Bini da Zugu (Hausa), Olulu idu (Igbo), or lapalapa funfun (Yoruba), has been used for treatment of a wide spectrum of ailments related to skin, cancer, digestive, respiratory and infectious diseases.
Phyllantus amarus, commonly called ehin olobe (Yoruba), ngwu (Igbo) is used for the treatment of jaundice and other related liver diseases, ulcers, urinary tract stones, diarrhoea, dysentery and menstrual disorders.
Rauvolfia vomitoria, also referred to as African serpentwood, asofeyeje (Yoruba), akanta (Ibo), and wada (Hausa), has been validated for treatment of ovarian, pancreatic and prostate cancer. It is also used to lower blood pressure and treat diseases such as diarrhea, malaria, hypertension, benign prostate enlargement, jaundice, venereal disease and rheumatism.
The researchers investigated the comparative effects of the water extracts of bitter leaf, Momordica charantia, Moringa oleifera, Jatropha curcas, Phyllantus amarus, and Rauvolfia vomitoria on the sperm quality in male Wistar rats.
They checked the effects of these medicinal plants on blood levels of the follicle-stimulating hormone, testosterone hormone and luteinising hormone in the animals.
Hormones such as follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinising hormone (LH), and testosterone are imperative for procreation. FSH stimulates sperm production. LH is responsible for the production of testosterone. Testosterone stimulates sperm production along with other hormones.
The study showed a decrease in the blood level of FSH in all the medicinal plants. There was a decrease in the levels of both serum testosterone and luteinising hormone in most of the medicinal plants which indicated a negative impact
Sixty-five adult male Wistar rats were divided into three groups: control – five rats fed with pellet; test – 30 rats (five/leaf) and recovery – 30 rats (five/leaf). Two groups received orally 0.3 mL of water extracts of these medicinal leaves for 21 days and the recovery group was allowed to recover for another 21 days without extract administration.
The study in the 2023 edition of Asian Journal of Allied Health Sciences had involved the collaboration of Osonuga Ifabunmi Oduyemi with other researchers at the Olabisi Onabanjo University, Sagamu Campus, Sagamu and Babcock University, Ilishan-Remo, all in Ogun State.
While testosterone levels increased significantly with herbal remedies that contain Momordica charantia and Jatropha curcas, Moringa oleifera caused a significant lowering of the male sex hormone. Although bitter leaf and Rauvolfia vomitoria decreased testosterone levels, it was not significant.
The FSH levels in blood from rats fed on various medicinal plants decreased significantly when compared to the control group. The LH levels in blood from rats fed on various medicinal plants did not significantly decrease when compared to the control group.
They declared, “there is a possibility that the reduction in the LH levels caused by some of the medicinal plants (Phyllantus amarus, Rauvolfia vomitoria, Moringa oleifera and bitter leaf) on the levels of these hormones may be the reason for the reduction in testosterone levels recorded in treated rats.
“Some medicinal plants have been known to decrease sperm count, sperm viability, sperm motility and reproductive hormones by disrupting spermatogenic (the origin and development of the sperm cells within the male reproductive organs, the testes), pathways. This may be the case in our study.”
Causes of male infertility could be genetic, physical abnormalities, injuries, drugs, infections of the genital tract, radiation, toxins or unexplained. But the major causes of male factor infertility in Nigeria are infection and hormonal abnormalities.
In the male reproductive system, infertility is most commonly caused by problems in the ejection of semen, absence or low levels of sperm, or abnormal shape and movement of the sperm….CONTINUE READING
