Study of Spermatogenesis in Wistar Adult Rats Administrated to Long Term of Ruta Graveolens

In Iranian folk medicine Ruta graveolens has been used for female and male contraceptive. There are few studies about the effect of this plant on spermatogenesis. In this study the effect of long term administration of aqueous extract of RG on spermatogenesis has been investigated. Animals were allocated into 1) control: which did not receive anything, 2) vehicle which received only normal saline and 3) experiment: which received Ruta extract (300 mg/kg administered by gavage once a day for 100 days). A day after last gavage all the individuals were killed by euthanasia. The right testes and epididymis were extruded. The sperm motility was assessed and classified as progressive, no progressive. There was a significant decrease in the number of spermatogonia (P < 0.01), primary spermatocyte (P < 0.05) and spermatid (P < 0.05) in experimental group as compared to control and vehicle. As shown in Table 3 the sperm count ± SD in 1 gram of epididymis was 2597.5 ± 172.39 in vehicle, 2671.8 ± 38.57 in control groups and 607.4 ± 520.19 in experimental group. Therefore group 3 has a significant lower sperm count in comparison with other groups (P < 0.05). Sperm with progressive motility was 55.25 ± 2.81 in vehicle, 53.42±1.82 in control group and 11.16 ± 2.17 in experimental group. Statistical analysis show that rats in experimental group have a significant lower sperm motility in comparison with other groups (P < 0.05). There was no difference between other groups (P > 0.05).The fertilization capacity of sperm of rats in experimental group was significantly lower than other groups (P > 0.05). It is concluded that the aqueous extract of Ruta graveolens diminishes the reproductive system activity and might be a useful substance for birth control process.