Ginkgo biloba extract is a widely consumed phytotherapic used mainly in the treatment of dementia and Alzheimer's disease, and it has also been employed to treat erectile dysfunction and as an aphrodisiac. This work was aimed at evaluating its effect on sperm quality, serum testosterone concentration and on the histometric analysis of the testes from adult male Wistar rats. Three-month-old Wistar rats were treated with distilled water (control group) and the aqueous extract of Ginkgo biloba at the dose levels of 3.5 (GBE 3.5); 7.0 (GBE 7.0) and 14.0 mg/kg (GBE 14.0), once daily, for 56 consecutive days. Counting and morphological evaluation of sperm collected from cauda epidydimis were analyzed. Histometric measures of the testes were also taken. This work shows that adult Wistar rats exposed to Ginkgo biloba presented histometric alteration in the volume of the Leydig cells and this finding suggests a possible functional deficit in these cells.

Valerian (Valeriana officinalis L.) is a natural anxiolytic widely used in traditional medicine. However reproductive toxic effects have been demonstrated in mice treated with this species. This study evaluated the effect of valerian aqueous suspension on the reproductive system of Wistar rats treated for 53 days. Four groups were studied (n=25): control (1 ml of distilled water) and treated (500, 1000 or 2000 mg/kg) with the aqueous suspension per os/day. On the 54th day, 15 rats/group were killed and the following parameters were assessed: weight of reproductive organs, liver, kidneys and spleen; serum testosterone level, sperm morphology and concentration; testicle and epididymis histomorphometry. Ten other animals/group was analyzed using the dominant lethal test. There were not significant differences in body weight, hematological and biochemical parameters, weights of the liver, kidneys, spleen, reproductive organs and accessory glands between control and treated animals. The treatment with valerian did not alter the tubular and luminal diameters of the seminiferous tubules, the serum testosterone levels and the sperm viability. The sperm concentration in the epididymis cauda was not altered by the treatment although a significant increase in the number of abnormal gametes was observed in the valerian-treated animals at all dose levels when compared to control values. Significant reduction (p<0.05) in the height of the epididymal epithelium and a significant increase in the number of abnormal gametes were observed in the animals treated with the extract at 1000 and 2000 mg/kg.