Evaluation of the androgenic activity of some medicinal plants in the case of andropause (Côte d’Ivoire)

Description of the subject. Andropause is a relatively important health and social problem that consequences are harmful to humans. In the therapy of this condition, the administration of testosterone is recommended.

Objective. This study aims to evaluate the androgenic power of some medicinal plants from Côte d’Ivoire.

Methods. Biological investigations on sperm parameters and testosterone levels were carried out by oral administration of different aqueous extracts of Cissus aralioides, Palisota hirsuta, Zanthoxylum gilletii and Euphorbia hypericifolia to mature male rat. This administration was done over 35 successive days, at a dose of 100 mg/Kg body weight.

Results. Administration of the different extracts induced an increase in serum testosterone levels in the treated animals. The aqueous extracts of the whole plant of E. hypericifolia and the stem bark of Z. gilletii respectively induced the greatest increase in serum testosterone (15.61±0.34 ng/mL and 11.87±0.35 ng/mL) versus 0.83±0.18 ng/mL for the control group. The sperm densities of the E. hypericifolia (~78.106 spz/mL ± 2.93) and Z. gilletii (~62.94 × 106 spz/mL ± 2.44) groups were higher than those of the control group (~63.95 × 106 spz/mL ± 2.93) with (p < 0.001). The percentage of motile sperm was higher in the E. hypericifolia group (~79%±0.00%) than in the control group (~17±0.01%), with p < 0.001.

Conclusions. These different results show that these plant species improve spermatogenesis.