| Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2583787 | Environmental Toxicology and Pharmacology | 2011 | 9 Pages |
Centella asiatica has been mentioned in ancient ayurvedic text of the Indian system of medicine for its properties to promote intelligence. The objective of the present study was to investigate the beneficial effects of C. asiatica on lead-induced oxidative stress and suppressed reproductive performance in male rats. Significant decrease in the weights of testes and epididymis were observed in lead treated animals. Exposure to lead acetate significantly increased malondialdehyde levels with a significant decrease in the superoxide dismutase and catalase activities in the liver, brain, kidneys and testes of rats. Epididymal sperm count, viable sperms, motile sperms and HOS-tail coiled sperms decreased significantly in lead-exposed rats. Testicular steroidogenic enzyme activities also decreased significantly in lead-exposed rats. No significant changes in the selected reproductive variables were observed in the plant extract alone treated rats. Whereas, co-administration of aqueous extracts of C. asiatica to lead exposed rats showed a significant increase in the weights of reproductive organs, reduction in lead-induced oxidative stress in the tissues and improvement in selected reproductive parameters over lead-exposed rats indicating the beneficial role of C. asiatica to counteract lead-induced oxidative stress and to restore the suppressed reproduction in male rats.
► Pb-exposure induces testicular oxidative stress and also impairs spermatogenesis and steroidogenesis. ► No changes in the selected reproductive variables were observed in rats treated with CA alone as compared with controls. ► Co-administration of CA reduces oxidative stress and thereby ameliorates male reproductive health in lead exposed rats.
