Antispermatogenic Effect and Chemical Investigation of Opuntia dillenii

Abstract

Oral administration of Opuntia dillenii phylloclade extract to male rats caused a significant decrease in the weights of testes (P < 0.001), epididymides (P < 0.01), seminal vesicle (P < 0.001) and ventral prostate (P < 0.01). The production of spermatid was reduced by 88.06 % in Opuntia treated rats. The populations of preleptotene spermatocytes and spermatogonia were reduced by 59.7 and 61.65 % and secondary spermatocytes by 63.32 %, respectively. The cross sectional surface area of Sertoli cells was decreased significantly. The seminiferous tubule and Leydig cell nuclear area were reduced significantly (P < 0.001) when compared to controls. Motility of the spermatozoa was reduced significantly. Opuntia reduced the fertility of male rats by 100 %.