Effect ofTypha capensis(Rohrb.)N.E.Br. rhizome extract F1 fraction on cell viability, apoptosis induction and testosterone production in TM3-Leydig cells

Abstract

Typha capensis (Rohrb.)N.E.Br. (bulrush) is used by traditional healers in Southern Africa to treat male reproductive problems. This study aimed at investigating the effects of T. capensis on TM3-Leydig cells. T. capensis rhizome crude extract obtained from autumn, winter, spring and summer harvest was fractionated using HPLC into four fractions, and TM3-Leydig cells were incubated with different concentrations of the F1 fraction (0.01, 0.02, 0.1, 1, 10 and 100 μg/ml) for 24, 48 and 96 hr respectively. The following parameters were evaluated: cell morphology, viability (MTT assay), testosterone production (testosterone ELISA test), apoptosis (Annexin V-Cy3 binding) and DNA fragmentation (TUNEL assay). Results revealed that the summer harvest obtained the highest amount of extract. The F1 fraction of all harvests was the most effective. This fraction significantly enhanced testosterone production in TM3 cells in a dose-dependent manner with maximum effect at 0.1 μg/ml. At higher concentrations, lower testosterone production was observed. Cell viability including apoptosis was not affected at concentrations used by the traditional healers to treat patients. This study shows that T. capensis enhanced testosterone production and might be useful to treat male infertility and ageing male problems.

Role of Antioxidant Natural Products in Management of Infertility: A Review of Their Medicinal Potential

“…In addition, the study on the effect of inositol only revealed histological results of sperm, which is insufficient to verify the effectiveness of the natural product [ 103 ]. Meanwhile, some experiments were conducted on normal cells or animals [ 17 , 40 , 42 , 45 , 76 , 104 , 170 ]. These results are insufficient to support whether the natural products have the capacity to protect genital damage or reverse reproductive disorders.…”

“…N.E.Br. belongs to the family of Typhaceae and is widely used for treating genital problems, male potency, and blood circulation [ 45 ]. Its root extract, treated with doses of 10 and 100 μg/mL for 96 h, improved testosterone production and marked significant difference in DNA fragmentation in TM3-leydig cells.…”

Androgenic effect of aqueous leaf extract of Moringa oleifera on Leydig TM3 cells in vitro

“…Several studies had previously established that TM3 cells are suitable for use in the determination of testosterone production (Ilfergane & Henkel, 2018; Jambor et al., 2019; Lin et al., 2019; Liu et al., 2016; Xia et al., 2020). However, another study demonstrated that unstimulated and stimulated TM3 cells produced a low amount of testosterone and a high amount of progesterone, suggesting that TM3 cells are unsuitable for studying the gonadal androgen biosynthesis due to altered steroidogenic pathways (Engeli, Fürstenberger, Kratschmar, & Odermatt, 2018).…”

Typha capensis (Rohrb.) N.E.Br. (Typhaceae): morphology, medicinal uses, biological and chemical properties

“…The early apoptotic events by means of Annexin V-Cy3 (AnnCy3) binding to TM3 cells was determined in a study (31). The result revealed that the rhizome extract F1 fraction of T. capensis showed no cytotoxic effects including cell viability, induction of apoptosis and DNA fragmentation at concentrations used in the study.…”

“…Another study investigated the effects of rhizome extract F1 fraction of T. capensis obtained during autumn, winter, spring and summer harvests on TM3-Leydig cells at different concentrations of 0.01, 0.02, 0.1, 1, 10 and 100 μg / mL for 24, 48 and 96 hrs (31). After 48 h of exposure, F1 fraction of all four seasons strongly increased the production of testosterone in TM3 cells with maximal impact at 0.1 μg/mL, in a dose-dependent manner.…”