<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><bold>Introduction:</bold> The study aimed to investigate the anti-fertility effect of fennel (<italic>Foeniculim vulgare</italic> Mill) seed extract in male rats.<bold>Material and Methods:</bold> Forty Wistar rats were divided into five equal groups. The control group received distilled water and the experimental groups were orally administered 1 ml of hydro-alcoholic extract of fennel seed in four doses of 35, 70, 140, and 280 mg/kg/b.w. daily for 60 days. After the last gavage, the rats were anaesthetised and the caudal part of the right epididymis was used for sperm counting. After fixation of the testes, microscopic sections were prepared and histological changes were evaluated.<bold>Results:</bold> The number of spermatogonia after doses of 140 and 280 mg/kg and Sertoli cells after a dose of 140 mg/kg decreased significantly as compared with the control group (P &lt; 0.05). The number of primary spermatocytes and sperm count decreased significantly in the experimental groups (70, 140, and 280 mg/kg) when compared to the control group (P &lt; 0.05). Furthermore, thickening of the basement membrane, cell apoptosis, and irregular arrangement of the germinal epithelium were observed in the experimental groups.<bold>Conclusion:</bold> Hydro-alcoholic fennel seed extract at these doses could reduce reproductivity and has anti-fertility activity in male rats.</abstract>

Introduction: The study aimed to investigate the anti-fertility effect of fennel (Foeniculim vulgare Mill) seed extract in male rats.Material and Methods: Forty Wistar rats were divided into five equal groups. The control group received distilled water and the experimental groups were orally administered 1 ml of hydro-alcoholic extract of fennel seed in four doses of 35, 70, 140, and 280 mg/kg/b.w. daily for 60 days. After the last gavage, the rats were anaesthetised and the caudal part of the right epididymis was used for sperm counting. After fixation of the testes, microscopic sections were prepared and histological changes were evaluated.Results: The number of spermatogonia after doses of 140 and 280 mg/kg and Sertoli cells after a dose of 140 mg/kg decreased significantly as compared with the control group (P < 0.05). The number of primary spermatocytes and sperm count decreased significantly in the experimental groups (70, 140, and 280 mg/kg) when compared to the control group (P < 0.05). Furthermore, thickening of the basement membrane, cell apoptosis, and irregular arrangement of the germinal epithelium were observed in the experimental groups.Conclusion: Hydro-alcoholic fennel seed extract at these doses could reduce reproductivity and has anti-fertility activity in male rats.

Anti-fertility effect of hydro-alcoholic extract of fennel <italic>(Foeniculum vulgare</italic> Mill<italic>)</italic> seed in male Wistar rats

Cellular and Molecular Research Center, Department of Anatomical Sciences, School of Medicine, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz,

Student Research Committee, Shahrekord University of Medical Sciences, Shahrekord,

Student Research Committee, Kurdistan University of Medical Sciences, Sanandaj,

Student Research Committee, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz,

Sophomore/Health and Medical Studies, Henry Ford Early College at Henry Ford College, Dearborn, Michigan,

Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran,

Department of Biology, School of Science, Shiraz University, Shiraz,

Journal of Veterinary Research

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Anti-fertility effect of hydro-alcoholic extract of fennel  Mill seed in male Wistar rats

Introduction: The study aimed to investigate the anti-fertility effect of fennel (Foeniculim vulgare Mill) seed extract in male rats.Material and Methods:...

Anti-fertility effect of hydro-alcoholic extract of fennel (Foeniculum vulgare Mill) seed in male Wistar rats

Published Online: Sep 23, 2016

Page range: 357 - 363

Received: Nov 17, 2015

Accepted: Jul 25, 2016

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/jvetres-2016-0052

Keywords
rat, mill, anti-fertility effect

© 2016 Esrafil Mansouri et al., published by De Gruyter Open

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Anti-fertility effect of hydro-alcoholic extract of fennel (Foeniculum vulgare Mill) seed in male Wistar rats

Published Online: Sep 23, 2016

Page range: 357 - 363

Received: Nov 17, 2015

Accepted: Jul 25, 2016

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/jvetres-2016-0052

Keywordsrat, mill, anti-fertility effect

© 2016 Esrafil Mansouri et al., published by De Gruyter Open

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Keywords
rat, mill, anti-fertility effect