BACKGROUND: Cigarette smoke has a variety of dangerous chemicals and free radicals that can potentially cause infertility. One of the plants that are reported to have medicinal properties and have active compounds as antioxidants is Binahong (Anredera cordifolia (Ten.) Steenis).
AIM: This study aims to investigate the effectiveness of A. cordifolia leaf extract (ACLE) in increasing the fertility of male Wistar rats after exposure to cigarette smoke.
METHODS: Twenty-four adult male rats were divided into six groups (age 8–10 weeks, weight 200–250 g): Group 1 (normal control) received aquades (1 ml/day) without being given cigarette smoke, Group 2 received exposure to smoke without being given ACLE, Group 3 received cigarette smoke exposure + 25 mg/kg ACLE, Group 4 received cigarette smoke exposure + 50 mg/kg ACLE, Group 5 received cigarette smoke exposure + 75 mg/kg ACLE, and Group 6 received exposure to cigarette smoke + 100 mg/kg of ACLE. To produce smoke from cigarettes and expose rats to the smoke, a Smoke chamber is used. Rats in the treatment group were exposed to cigarette smoke for 2 weeks (40–60 s daily for 6 days each week). The evaluation of male rat fertility was carried out by measuring body weight, genital weight (testis and epididymis), and spermatozoa spermogram (velocity, motility, morphology, and total number).
RESULTS: The least significance different test results showed no significant difference in the rate of weight gain between treatments, standard control, and negative control groups. The average testicular weight of rats exposed to cigarette smoke for 14 days was significantly different from normal controls and doses of 50, 75, and 100 mg/kg body weight. However, at a dose of 25 mg/kg of body weight had not shown a significant increase compared to control. The average spermatozoa velocity reached 12.43 mm2/s and 13.36 mm2/s. The spermatozoa velocity increased significantly at a dose of 100 mg/kg body weight.
CONCLUSIONS: ACLE at a dose of 100 mg/kg body weight was effective in increasing the fertility of male Wistar rats exposed to cigarette smoke.
Post chronic cigarette smoke exposure and assessment of learning, memory and asymptomatic level of performance in Wistar rats