Murthy SN, Pawar SD, Shirolkar AR, Malgaonkar MM, and Kulkarni YR
ABSTRACT
The different varieties of Kapikachu viz., Mucuna cochinchinensis (Lour.) A Chev. (Black seed variety), M. cochichinensis (Lour.) A Chev. (White seed variety) and M. pruriens (L.) DC. are used in the treatment of infertility in India by Ayurvedic physicians. The study was carried out for comparative assessment of their effect on semen profile and biochemical parameters in Sprague Dawley strain rats. The animals were treated with different dose of aqueous extract of M. cochinchinensis (Black seed variety), M. cochichinensis (White seed variety) and M. pruriens for the period of 30 days. The body weight, sperm count, sperm motility, morphology of sperm, serum levels of testosterone, estradiol, Luteinizing hormone (LH), and Total antioxidant
capacity were measured. The testes were isolated, weighed and sectioned to study the histological changes. The results of the study showed the increase in sperm count, serum motility, levels of serum testosterone, LH and total antioxidant capacity in animals treated with aqueous extract of M. cochinchinensis (Black seed variety), followed by M. pruriens and M. cochichinensis (White seed variety). These observations were supported by histological change in testes. From the results obtained, it can be concluded that the M. cochinchinensis (Black seed variety) is more potent than other varieties of Kapikachu in rats.
Keywords: Spermatogenesis, Mucuna cochinchinensis (Lour.) A. Chev., Mucuna pruriens (L.) DC., L-dopa