Comparative efficacy of Gum Arabic (Acacia senegal) and Tribulus terrestris on male fertility

The Profertility and Aphrodisiac Activities of Tribulus terrestris L.: Evidence from Meta-Analyses

Tribulus terrestris L. (TT) is a traditional medicinal plant, which belongs to the Zygophyllaceae family. TT extracts have been widely used for diuretic, analeptic, aphrodisiac, and profertility properties. To quantitatively evaluate the profertility and aphrodisiac effects of Tribulus terrestris L., we undertook the present meta-analyses on published data. A thorough literature screening was performed to identify articles evaluating the effect of TT on spermatogenesis, male fertility, reproductive, and aphrodisiac parameters. We shortlisted 30 relevant studies conducted on humans and rodents. Meta-analyses were conducted to evaluate the quantitative impact of TT on various fertility parameters. In case of humans, the pooled analysis on 133 subjects showed significant improvements in sperm concentration ( $\text{SDM}=0.624$ , 95% $\text{CI}=0.13$ to 1.117, $p=0.013$ ) and sperm motility ( $\text{SDM}=0.742$ , 95% $\text{CI}=0.331$ to 1.152, $p=0.001$ ). TT resulted in nonsignificant increases in testosterone and LH and a nonsignificant decrease in FSH. Similar to the above, TT improved sperm count, sperm motility, and sperm viability in rodents with normal or compromised fertility. The effect on hormone levels was less credible with frequent variations across studies and animal models. The aphrodisiac activity was studied in castrated animal models or normal rodents, both of which showed significant improvements in mounting frequency and intromission frequency and significant declines in mounting latency and intromission latency. These meta-analyses suggested that TT possesses profertility and aphrodisiac activities.

Ameliorative effect of methanolic extract of Tribulus terrestris L. on nicotine and lead-induced degeneration of sperm quality in male rats

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

The use of herbal and medicinal plants to treat male infertility is well known in history. Tribulus terrestris L. (TT) belongs to the Zygophyllaceae family and it is used in folk medicine to vitalize and also improve both physical performance and sexual function in men in addition to the protective effect of the gross saponins of TT against ischemic stroke and its clinical anti-inflammatory property.

AIM OF THE STUDY

This study aimed to investigate the effects of methanol extract of T. terrestris on nicotine hydrogen tartrate and lead-induced degeneration of sperm quality in male rats and to identify the volatile bioactive non-polar compounds thought to be responsible for its activity using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The effect of T. terrestris on nicotine hydrogen tartrate and lead-induced infertility was evaluated in male rats. Fifty-four mature male albino rats weighing 220-250 g body weight were used. The rats were randomly divided into 9 equal groups (n = 6). Infertility was induced by administering nicotine hydrogen tartrate (0.50 mg/kg) through peritoneal injection (i.p.) or lead acetate (1.5 g/L) orally with drinking water for sixty days. Two doses (50 and 100 mg/kg body weight of the animal) of T. terrestris were also used. At the end of the experimental period, the rats were anesthetized and sacrificed. Blood samples were collected. Hormonal analyses were carried out on the serum. The testicle, epididymis, and accessory sex organs (seminal vesical and prostates) were removed for histopathological analysis. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis of the methanol extract was also carried out to identify major volatile compounds in T. terrestris methanol extract.

RESULTS

Nicotine and lead toxicity caused a significant (p < 0.05) decrease in the number of sperm, motility, and an increase in the sperm abnormalities such as the reduction in weight and size of sexual organs (testis, epididymis, and accessory sex glands), reduction of diameter and length of seminiferous tubules. The administration of T. terrestris methanol extract, however, improved the semen quantity and quality, sexual organ weights, and fertility of male rats and, thus, ameliorated the adverse effects of nicotine and lead. Ten major compounds were found from the GC-MS analysis of the extract of T. terrestris methanol extract.

CONCLUSION

Findings showed that T. terrestris plant methanolic extracts ameliorated nicotine hydrogen tartrate and lead-induced degeneration of sperm quality in male rats. The GC-MS analysis of the T. terrestris plant methanolic extracts revealed the presence of several important bioactive compounds which were thought to be responsible for the ameliorative effect. Further isolation and evaluation of the individual components would provide relevant lead to finding new drugs.

Gum Arabic Nanoparticles as Green Corrosion Inhibitor for Reinforced Concrete Exposed to Carbon Dioxide Environment

The inhibiting effect of Gum Arabic-nanoparticles (GA-NPs) to control the corrosion of reinforced concrete that exposed to carbon dioxide environment for 180 days has been investigated. The steel reinforcement of concrete in presence and absence of GA-NPs were examined using various standard techniques. The physical/surface changes of steel reinforcement was screened using weight loss measurement, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), atomic force microscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). In addition, the carbonation resistance of concrete as well screened using visual inspection (carbonation depth), concrete alkalinity (pH), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), SEM, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The GA-NPs inhibitor size was also confirmed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The results obtained revealed that incorporation of 3% GA-NPs inhibitor into concrete inhibited the corrosion process via adsorption of inhibitor molecules over the steel reinforcement surface resulting of a protective layer formation. Thus, the inhibition efficiency was found to increase up-to 94.5% with decreasing corrosion rate up-to 0.57 × 10⁻³ mm/year. Besides, the results also make evident the presence of GA-NPs inhibitor, ascribed to the consumption of calcium hydroxide, and reduced the Ca/Si to 3.72% and 0.69% respectively. Hence, C-S-H gel was developed and pH was increased by 9.27% and 12.5, respectively. It can be concluded that green GA-NPs have significant corrosion inhibition potential and improve the carbonation resistance of the concrete matrix to acquire durable reinforced concrete structures.