Induction of reversible antifertility with a crude ethanol extract of Citrullus colocynthis Schrad fruit in male rats

Citrullus colocynthis (L.) Schrad.: A Promising Pharmaceutical Resource for Multiple Diseases

Citrullus colocynthis (L.) Schrad. (Cucurbitaceae) is widely distributed in the desert areas of the world. The fruit bodies of C. colocynthis are recognized for their wide range of nutraceutical potential, as well as medicinal and pharmaceutical uses. The plant has been reported for various uses, such as asthma, bronchitis, cancer, colic, common cold, cough, diabetes, dysentery, and jaundice. The fruit has been extensively studied for its biological activities, which include insecticide, antitumor, and antidiabetic effects. Numerous bioactive compounds have been reported in its fruit bodies, such as essential oils, fatty acids, glycosides, alkaloids, and flavonoids. Of these, flavonoids or caffeic acid derivatives are the constituents associated with the inhibition of fungal or bacterial growth, whereas eudesmane sesquiterpenes or sesquiterpene lactones are most active against insects, mites, and nematodes. In this review, the scientific evidence for the biological activity of C. colocynthis against insecticide, cytotoxic, and antidiabetic effects is summarized.

Sialylation: fate decision of mammalian sperm development, fertilization, and male fertility†

Sperm development, maturation, and successful fertilization within the female reproductive tract are intricate and orderly processes that involve protein translation and post-translational modifications. Among these modifications, sialylation plays a crucial role. Any disruptions occurring throughout the sperm's life cycle can result in male infertility, yet our current understanding of this process remains limited. Conventional semen analysis often fails to diagnose some infertility cases associated with sperm sialylation, emphasizing the need to comprehend and investigate the characteristics of sperm sialylation. This review reanalyzes the significance of sialylation in sperm development and fertilization and evaluates the impact of sialylation damage on male fertility under pathological conditions. Sialylation serves a vital role in the life journey of sperm, providing a negatively charged glycocalyx and enriching the molecular structure of the sperm surface, which is beneficial to sperm reversible recognition and immune interaction. These characteristics are particularly crucial during sperm maturation and fertilization within the female reproductive tract. Moreover, enhancing the understanding of the mechanism underlying sperm sialylation can promote the development of relevant clinical indicators for infertility detection and treatment.

Citrullus colocynthis (L.) Schrad (Bitter Apple Fruit): Promising Traditional Uses, Pharmacological Effects, Aspects, and Potential Applications

Health consciousness and increased knowledge about the side effects of synthetic drugs have enhanced interest in traditional medicines. Medicinal plants offer cures for various diseases, leading to improved living standards. This has brought ethnomedicinal studies into the spotlight and increased demand for herb-based medicines. Citrullus colocynthis is an herbaceous plant containing an abundance of nutrients that play a key role in the improvement of wellbeing. C. colocynthis has many biological properties, such as antioxidative, hypoglycemic, antibacterial, anti-cancerous, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, gastrointestinal tract, reproduction, protection, anti-microbial, antidiabetic, hypolipidemic, antineoplastic, profibrinolytic, anti-allergic, pesticidal, and immune-stimulatory. There are numerous bioactive compounds like cucurbitacin, flavonoids, and polyphenols in C. colocynthis that give it medicinal properties. Herein, we have extensively compiled, reviewed, and analyzed significant information on C. colocynthhis from the best published available evidence in PubMed, Scopus (Embase), Web of Science (Web of Knowledge), Cochrane Library, and Google Scholar, etc. Scientific literature evidenced that owing to the bioactive constituents, including cucurbitacin, polyphenols, flavonoids, and other potent molecules, C. colocynthis has many pharmacological and physiological functions. It possesses multi-beneficial applications in treating various disorders of humans and animals. So, the primary purpose of this comprehensive review is to provide an overview of the findings of positive impacts and risks of C. colocynthis consumption on human health, especially in poultry and veterinary fields. In the future, this narrative article will be aware of discoveries about the potential of this promising natural fruit and its bioactive compounds as the best nutraceuticals and therapeutic drugs in veterinary and human medicine.

The use of medicinal herbs in gynecological and pregnancy-related disorders by Jordanian women: a review of folkloric practice vs. evidence-based pharmacology

Context National statistical reports in Jordan indicate a decrease in the total fertility rate along with a parallel increase in contraceptive use. The folkloric use of medicinal herbs in gynecological disorders has been growing in Jordan, despite of deficient reports on the evidence-based safety and efficacy of these practices. Objective The aim of this comprehensive article is to review medicinal plants with claimed ethnonpharmacological usage in various gynecological and pregnancy-related issues in Jordan, and to assess their evidence-based pharmacological studies as well as their phytochemistry. Methods The published literature was surveyed using Google Scholar entering the terms "ethnopharmacology AND Jordan AND infertility AND gynecology OR gestation". We included ethnopharmacological surveys in Jordan with available full-text. Results Twelve articles were reviewed. Plant species which are commonly used for female gynecological issues such as Artemisia monosperma Del. and A. herba-alba Asso. (Asteraceae) have been found to exert an antifertility effect. Ricinus communis L. (Euphorbiaceae) and Citrullus colocynthis (L.) Schrad. (Cucurbitaceae) had antifertility effects in male rats, but Nigella sativa oil L. (Ranunculaceae) and Cinnamon zeylanicum J. Presl (Lauraceae) were found to enhance it. Conclusion Using plants for gynecological disorders is a common practice in Jordan. Many of them, whether utilised for gynecological or non-gynecological conditions equally, were found to have detrimental effects on female or male fertility. Thus, couples planning pregnancy should be discouraged from the consumption of these herbs. Further local studies are warranted to confirm the appreciable beneficial pharmacological effects and safety of these plants.

Male rat hormone imbalance, testicular changes and toxicity associated with aqueous leaf extract of an antimalarial plant: Phyllanthus niruri

CONTEXT

Phyllanthus niruri L. (Euphorbiaceae), a medicinal plant traditionally known for dissolving kidney stones, is used prophylactically as an antimalarial agent.

OBJECTIVE

The study was undertaken to determine its effect on some male hormones and other toxicological properties due to paucity of its data despite its wide use.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Male Sprague-Dawley rats (100-140 g) were used. Group 1 [control group (C), n = 6] received water. Group 2 [low-dose test group (LD), n = 6] received 50 mg/kg body weight (b.wt.) aqueous leaf extract orally. Group 3 [high-dose test group (HD), n = 6] received 500 mg/kg b.wt. extract for 90 days. Upon sacrifice, among other organs the testes were harvested. Blood samples drawn were used for biochemical (including progesterone, estrogen and testosterone), cytotoxicity and hematological assays.

RESULTS

C, LD and HD estrogen values were 192 ± 25, 385 ± 122 and 962 ± 357 pg/ml, respectively. In the same order, progesterone values were 96 ± 24, 155 ± 45 and 320 ± 80 pg/ml, respectively. Testosterone levels were 5210 ± 1090, 4710 ± 220 and 4500 ± 580 pg/ml, respectively. Significant differences were observed in the estrogen and progesterone levels (p = 0.001). Degenerative changes were observed histologically. Cytotoxicity at 50% (CC50) was 10.0 µg/ml.

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION

This antimalarial plant is mildly cytotoxic with male antifertility properties.

Evaluation of 5α-reductase inhibitory activity of certain herbs useful as antiandrogens

This study demonstrates 5α-reductase inhibitory activity of certain herbs useful in the management of androgenic disorders. Ganoderma lucidum (Curtis) P. Karst (GL), Urtica dioica Linn. (UD), Caesalpinia bonducella Fleming. (CB), Tribulus terrestris Linn. (TT), Pedalium murex Linn. (PM), Sphaeranthus indicus Linn. (SI), Cuscuta reflexa Roxb. (CR), Citrullus colocynthis Schrad. (CC), Benincasa hispida Cogn. (BH), Phyllanthus niruri Linn. (PN) and Echinops echinatus Linn. (EE) were included in the study. Petroleum ether, ethanol and aqueous extracts of these herbs were tested for their 5α-reductase inhibitory activity against the standard 5α-reductase inhibitor, finasteride. A biochemical method to determine the activity of 5α-reductase was used to evaluate the inhibition of different extracts to the enzyme. The optical density (OD) value of each sample was measured continuously with ultraviolet spectrophotometer for the reason that the substrate NADPH has a specific absorbance at 340 nm. As the enzyme 5α-reductase uses NADPH as a substrate, so in the presence of 5α-reductase inhibitor, the NADPH concentration will increase with the function of time. This method thus implicates the activity of 5α-reductase. The method proved to be extremely useful to screen the herbs for their 5α-reductase inhibitory potential. GL, UD, BH, SI and CR came out to be promising candidates for further exploring their antiandrogenic properties.

A review on Citrullus colocynthis Schrad.: from traditional Iranian medicine to modern phytotherapy

Citrullus colocynthis Schrad. is an annual plant that grows in the south, center, and east areas of Iran. It is recognized by different pharmacologic activities in traditional Iranian medicine (TIM) (i.e., purgative, anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic, analgesic, hair growth-promoting, abortifacient, and antiepileptic. Some of these activities were confirmed in modern phytotherapy. Adverse events such as colic, diarrhea, hematochezia, nephrosis, and vomiting and narrow therapeutic index cause herbalists to use this plant cautiously. If some points about this plant in TIM are considered, it may be possible to produce more tolerable preparations from this plant. In this article, all aspects of this plant in TIM are reviewed; also, the medicinal properties declared for this plant in TIM are compared with those showed in modern phytotherapy. In addition, opinions of TIM and modern phytotherapy about safety and acceptable dosage of this plant are discussed.

The hypolipidemic effect of Citrullus colocynthis on patients with hyperlipidemia

Citrullus colocynthis is one of the medical herbs that traditionally have been used as an antidiabetic medication in tropical and subtropical countries. The aim of this study was to investigate the hypolipidemic effect of Citrullus colocynthis beyond the hypoglycemic impact on human. One hundred dislipidemic patients were randomly divided into two groups namely treated (n = 50) group and placebo (n = 50) group. The subjects were treated daily by powdered seeds of Citrullus colocynthis (300 mg) and placebo for 6 weeks. The serums, TG, Chol, LDL-C, HDL-C, SGOT and SGPT were measured with enzymatic methods at the beginning and the end of the project. The significance of differences within these groups was calculated by Paired T-test and by analysis of covariance between them. There were significant differences within and between treated and placebo groups during our treatment in TG and in Cholesterol after intervention (p < 0.05). A daily intake of 300 mg day(-1) of powdered seeds of Citrullus colocynthis can lower the triglyceride and cholesterol concentration significantly in nondiabetic hyperlipidemic patients.