The effects of green tea (Camellia sinensis) extract on mouse semen quality after scrotal heat stress

The objective of this study was to investigate whether or not the adverse effects of heat on sperm quality could be prevented by green tea extract (GTE) administration. Ninety adult male mice were randomly divided to two groups. The scrotum of each animal in the first group was immersed once for ۲۰ min in a water bath maintained at ۴۲ oC (heat group, H) and the second group (control group, C) was maintained at ۲۳oC. Heat-treated and control groups were allocated randomly into three subgroups. The first subgroup from heat-treated mice was administered sterile saline (heat saline, HS) and the two other subgroups were administered orally with two different doses of GTE including ۵۰۰ and ۷۵۰ mg kg-۱ (HG۵۰۰ and HG۷۵۰) for ۴۹ consecutive days. Likewise, the first subgroup from control mice was administered sterile saline (control saline, CS) and the two other subgroups were administered orally with ۵۰۰ and ۷۵۰ mg kg-۱ of GTE (CG۵۰۰ and CG۷۵۰), respectively. Heat stress significantly reduced (P < ۰.۰۵) sperm concentration, total sperm motility, progressive sperm motility and hypo-osmotic swelling-water test positive spermatozoa at the first ۱۴ days after the heat treatment. However, a partial recovery was observed at the day ۴۲, which was still significantly lower than that of the CS group. Administration of GTE in two doses (HG۵۰۰ and HG۷۵۰ treatment groups) following heat treatment could significantly recover adverse effects of heat on above-mentioned parameters during the first ۲۸ days. The present study demonstrates that the adverse effects of hyperthermia on semen parameters might be recovered following administration of green tea extract in a short period of time.

کلیدواژه ها:

Green tea ، Sperm quality ، Scrotal heating ، Mice