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Echinacoside and Cistanche tubulosa (Schenk) R. wight ameliorate bisphenol A-induced testicular and sperm damage in rats through gonad axis regulated steroidogenic enzymes

Authors Jiang, Zhihui; Wang, Jian; Li, Xinping; Zhang, Xiaoying

Journal JOURNAL OF ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY , DEC 4 2016,:193

DOI 10.1016/j.jep.2016.07.033 PubMed 27422164

Abstract Ethnopharmacological relevance: Male infertility has been increasing over the last decades and being a pressing health problem nowadays. Cistanche tubulosa (CT) is a traditional Chinese medicine used to boost male sexual function. Echinacoside (ECH) is one of the major compounds exist in CT and might be a potential agent to protect testis and sperm injury.Aim of the study: To investigate the mechanisms behind the possible protective effects of CT and ECH against testicular and sperm toxicity.Materials and methods: CT was identified by 5.8 s gene sequencing. The major compositions (echinacoside and acteoside) of CT were quantified by HPLC method. The adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were exposed to BPA, CT or ECH for 42 consecutive days. The sperm parameters were observed by dark-field microscope; serum hormone levels (FSH, LH and testosterone) were tested by radio immunosorbent; LDH-x activity were evaluated using commercial kits; the expressions of the key steroidogenic enzymes were evaluated by qRT-PCR, heat map, immunofluorescence and western blot.Results: The CT and ECH treatments against BPA-induced testicular and sperm toxicity showed that CT and ECH have reversed BPA-induced abnormality in sperm characteristics, testicular structure and normalized serum testosterone. This was concomitant with the increased expression of LDH-x as well as the key steroidogenic enzymes including StAR, CYP11A1, 3 beta-HSD, 17 beta-HSD and CYP17A1, suggesting that CT and ECH enhanced testosterone biosynthesis.Conclusions: CT and ECH attenuated poor sperm quality and testicular toxicity in rats through up-regulation steroidogenesis enzymes and ECH is the active compound of CT as a potential natural reproductive agent. (C) 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Species covered 管花肉苁蓉 Cistanche tubulosa