A review of the possibilities of utilising medicinal plants in improving the reproductive performance of male ruminants

Figures & data

Table 1. Therapeutic plants for reproductive disorders in male animals.

Plant name	Extract	Active compound	Dose and duration	Species tested	Observed effect	References
Chlorophytum borivilianum L.	Roots	Saponins, flavonoids, steroids	125 mg/kg body weight, 14 days	Rats	Aphrodisiac activity and enhanced libido, sexual vigour and sexual arousal	Malviya et al. (2016)
Zingiber Officinale	Roots	Volatile fatty acid gingerols	500–100 mg/kg body weight	Rats Buffalo bulls	Increase in sperm count, viability and mobility testosterone	Morakinyo et al. (2008), Kankanam et al. (2020)
Mixture of (Leucaena leucocepala and Garcinia kola)	Leaves	Steroids and folic acid	–	Boars	The boars showed an increase in sperm production and libido	Mekoya et al. (2009), Kuo et al. (2004)
Dacus Carota	seed	Volatile oils, Phenols, Flavonoids, carotene	200 and 400 g/kg of the diet.	Rats	Increase in testosterone levels	Nouri et al. (2009)
Lannea acid	Stem bark	Alkonoids and vitamins	50, 100, 200 and 400 mg/kg of the diet	Rats	Protect morphology of the testis and decrease spermatozoa abnormality	Ahmed et al. (2013)
Dana racemosa	Whole plant	Flavonoids and vitamins	200 and 400 mg/kg of the diet	Rats	Increased sperm mobility and viability
Hylocereus co-staricensis	Flesh	Ascorbic acid and polyphenols	250, 500, 1000 mg/kg body weight	Mouse	Increased sperm count, viability and production rate	Aziz and Noor, (2010)
Securidaca longempeduculata	Roots	Steroids, saponins, volatile oils	50–100 mg/kg; 60 days	Rabbits	Increased testicular weight	Zongo et al. (2013), Chibougwu et al. (2017)
Cochlospermum planchonii rhizome	Leaves	Saponins, steroids, terpenoids	0, 5, 10, 20 and 40% C. planchonii rhizome in the diet	Goats	Increased sperm concentration, Increase in the length and diameter of the testis.	Mhomga et al. (2019)
Smilax ornate	Leaves	–	–		Increase in testosterone and progesterone levels	Perumal et al. (2013)
Moringa oleifera	Leaves	Saponins, steroids	100–300 mg/kg body weight	Rats, Albino mice	Increased sperm motility, increased sperm density, motility and reduced head defect and DNA damage	Jaiswal et al. (2009), Sadek (2014), Nayak et al. (2017), Abarikwu et al. (2017)
		Flavonoids, vitamins, proteins, amino acids	70 g/kg diet	Chickens	Increased semen pH, volume and progressive motility.	Tubulang et al. (2022)
Moringa oleifera	Leaves	Zinc, saponin, alkaloid, flavonoid, ferulic acid, and chlorogenic acid	15% of the weight of the concentrate	Bulls	Increase in plasma testosterone concentrations, libido and sperm motility.	Syarifuddin et al. (2017), Prabsattroo et al. (2015), Chauhan and Dixit (2008)
Leucaena pallida	Leaves		100, 200 and 300 g per herd per day	Sheep	Sheep displayed an increase in the volume of ejaculate and sperm concentration	Dana et al. (2000)
Panax ginseng	Root	Ginsenosides	5% of the extract	Rats and Mice	Increased blood testosterone, serum levels of LH and FSH which increased spermatogenesis. Increased copulatory behaviour and dose-dependent increase in mounting, intromission and penis licking in mice.	Oremosu et al. (2013), Leung and Wong (2013)
Boesenbergia rotunda	Rhizome	Flavonoids, Polyphenols essential oils (Nerol, camphor, cineole)	–	Bulls	Improvement in semen ejaculate

Malviya N, Malviya S, Jain S, Vyas S. 2016. A review of the potential of medicinal plants in the management and treatment of male sexual dysfunction. Andrologia. 48(8):880–893.

 PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar

Morakinyo AO, Adeniyi OS, Arikawe AP. 2008. Effects of Zingiber officinale on reproductive functions in male rats. Afr J Biomed Res. 11(3):329–333.

 Google Scholar

Kankanam GCD, Waliwita ALCW, Ruwan PL. 2020. A review on medicinal uses of Zingiber officinale (Ginger). Int J Health Sci Res. 142–148www.ijhsr.org). 142(6).

 Google Scholar

Mekoya A, Oosting S, Fernandez-Rivera S, Tamminga S, Tegegne AZ. 2009. Effect of supplementation of Sesbania sesban on reproductive performance of sheep. Livest Sci. 1:121.

 Google Scholar

Kuo PC, Damu AG, Lee KH, Wu TS. 2004. Cytotoxic and antimalarial constituents from the roots of Eurycoma longifolia. Bioorg Med Chem. 12:537–535.

 PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar

Nouri M, Khaki A, Azar F, Rashidi M-R. 2009. The Protective Effects of Carrot Seed Extract on Spermatogenesis and Cauda Epididymal Sperm Reserves in Gentamicin Treated Rats. Yakhte Med J. 11.

 Google Scholar

Ahmed M, Al-Daghri N, Alokail MS, Hussain T. 2013. Potential changes in rat spermatogenesis and sperm parameters after inhalation of Boswellia papyrifera and Boswellia carterii incense. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 10(3):830–844.

 PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar

Aziz F, Abdul MM. 2010. Ethanol extract of dragon fruit and its effects on sperm quality and histology of the testes in mice. Biomedical Research-tokyo. 21.

 Google Scholar

Zongo F, Ribout C, Boumendjel A, Guissou I. 2013. Botany, traditional uses, phytochemistry and pharmacology of Waltheria indica L. syn. Waltheria americana): a review. J Ethnopharmacol. 148:14–26.

 PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar

Chibougwu IC, Mathew L, Ubah SA. 2017. Effect of securidaca longepedunculata root bark methanol extract on testicular morphometry of New Zealand Rabbits. J Vet Med Anim Heath. 9(12):361–367.

 Google Scholar

Mhomga LI, Nwosu CO, Marire BN, Adi DS, Tughgba T. 2019. Effect of Cochlospermum planchonii rhizome on testicular morphometry and sperm characteristics of West African Dwarf goats. Livest Res Rural Dev. 31(45).

 Google Scholar

Perumal P, Veeraselvam M, Nahak AK. 2013. Herbal treatment in animal reproduction. Int J Bio-resour Stress manag. 4(3):460–467.

 Google Scholar

Jaiswal D, Rai PK, Kumar A, Mehta S, Watal G. 2009. Effect of Moringa oleifera Lam. leaves aqueous extract therapy on hyperglycemic rats. J Ethnopharmacol. 123:392–396.

 PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar

Sadek KM. 2014. Chemotherapeutic efficacy of an ethanolic Moringa oleifera leaf extract against chromium-induced testicular toxicity in rats. Andrologia. 46:1047–1054.

 PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar

Nayak G, Vadinkar A, Nair S, Kalthur SG, D'Souza AS, Shetty PK, Mutalik S, Shetty MM, Kalthur G, Adiga SK. 2016. Sperm abnormalities induced by pre-pubertal exposure to cyclophosphamide are effectively mitigated by Moringa oleifera leaf extract. Andrologia. 48(2):125–136.

 PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar

Abarikwu SO, Benjamin S, Ebah SG, Obilor G, Agbam G. 2017. Oral administration of Moringa oleifera oil but not coconut oil prevents mercury-induced testicular toxicity in rats. Andrologia. 49(1): 5–8.

 Web of Science ®Google Scholar

Tubulang K, Sebola NA, Mokoboki HK, Mosetle KQ, Manyeula F, Mabelebele M. 2022. Inclusion of Moringa olifera Leaf meal in the diet of locally bred chickens: effects on growth performance, semen and hatchability traits. J Appl Anim Res. 50(1):239–245.

 Web of Science ®Google Scholar

Syarifuddin NA, Toleng AL, Rahardja DP, Ismartoyo I, Yusuf M. 2017. Improving Libido and sperm quality of Bali bulls by supplementation of Moringa oleifera. Media Peternakan. 40(2):88–93.

 Google Scholar

Prabsattroo T, Wattanathorn J, Iamsaard S, Somsapt P, Sritragool O, Thukhummee W, Muchimapura S. 2015. Moringa oleifera extract enhances sexual performance in stressed rats. J Zhejiang Univ Sci. 16:179–190. Publisher: Animal Sciences Group, Wageningen UR, the Netherlands.

 Google Scholar

Chauhan NS, Dixit VK. 2008. Spermatogenic activity of rhizomes of Curculigo orchioides Gaertn in male rats. Int J Appl Res Nat Prod. 1:26–31.

 Google Scholar

Dana N, Tegegne A, Shenkoru T. 2000. Feed intake, sperm output and seminal characteristics of Ethiopian highland sheep supplemented with different levels of Leucaena (Leucaena leucocephala) leaf hay. Anim Feed Sci Technol. 86:239–249.

 Web of Science ®Google Scholar

Oremosu AA, Arowosaye VO, Akang EN, Bassey RB. 2013. Effects of Cissus populnea and Panax ginseng on flutamide induced testicular defect in prepubertal male rats. Br J Med Med Res. 3(1):173–181.

 Google Scholar

Leung KW, Wong AS. 2013. Ginseng and male reproductive function. Spermatogenesis. 3(3):e26391.

 PubMedGoogle Scholar

Data availability statement

Data sharing is not applicable to this article as no data sets were generated or analysed during the current study.