Oral Administration of Kaempferia parviflora did not Disturb Male Reproduction in Rats

Abstract

Abstract.To investigate the androgenic effect of Kaempferia parviflora (KP), a Thai herbal plant, adult male rats were randomized into control and KP-treatment groups. Rats were treated orally with water in the control group and with 1,000 mg/kg/day of KP in the treatment group for 45 days. Blood samples were collected on days 10, 20, 30 and 45 for measurement of the serum follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), testosterone, progesterone and corticosterone levels. The reproductive and non-reproductive organs were dissected on day 45 and weighed. Mating behavior was also observed on days 20 and 30. Body weight was measured throughout the study period. The results showed that KP induced an increase in body weight compared with the controls. There were no significant differences in the weights of either reproductive (testis, seminal vesicle plus coagulating gland, levator ani muscle plus bulbocarvernosus muscle and glans penis, except the prostate gland) or non-reproductive organs (kidney, adrenal gland and gastracnemius muscle). There were no significant differences in serum levels of either FSH or LH between the two groups. The serum testosterone and progesterone levels were insignificantly lower in the KP group during the first 30 days. The serum corticosterone levels in the KP group were lower than those in the controls throughout the study period and were significantly low on days 20 and 30. There were no significant changes in mating behavior in the rats treated with KP. Although KP affected the body weight and serum corticosterone level, it did not affect mating behavior, reproductive and non-reproductive organ weights or hormones related to the reproductive system in the adult male rats. Therefore, we conclude that the testosterone-like effect of KP did not disturb the hypothalamicpituitary-testicular axis or male reproduction. Key words: Body weight, Kaempferia parviflora, Luteinizing hormone (LH), Mating behavior, Testosterone (J. Reprod. Dev. 54: [375][376][377][378][379][380] 2008) aempferia parviflora Wall. Ex. Baker (KP), commonly referred to in Thai as Krachai Dum, is an indigenous herb that belongs to the Family Zingiberaceae. Nowadays, this plant is considered a Thai national herb. Based on studies using gas chromatographic techniques, many kinds of flavonoid substances, including 7,7,3,5,3,5,7,5,7,7, have been found in KP roots [1,2].KP root has been reported to have anti-gastric ulcer activity by preservation of gastric mucous secretion without inhibition of gastric acid secretion in male rats gavaged with an ether extract of KP [3]. In addition, daily administrations of KP at 20, 200, 1,000 or 2,000 mg/kg is not toxic to adult rats; however, 2,000 mg/kg seems to produce an increase in liver weight and decrease in eosinophil numbers (Chewapat et al. unpublished data).Native Thai people widely use this plant with alcohol or boiling water in traditional medicine to increase male libido and alleviative impotency because they believe this plant has androgenic activity altho...

Effect of Kaempferia parviflora on sexual performance in streptozotocin-induced diabetic male rats

“…These results also indicated that KP treatment at 420 mg/kg could improve the testes weight and sperm concentration. Previous studies reported that KP treatment at 1,000 mg/kg for 45 consecutive days in normal rats showed no significant impact in term of the reproductive and nonreproductive organ weight compared to nontreatment rats (Trisomboon et al., ). KP treatment in castrated immature rats also showed no significant impact in relative reproductive and nonreproductive organ weight compared with nontreatment rats (Trisomboon, Watanabe, Wetchasit, & Taya, ).…”

“…KP treatment in castrated immature rats also showed no significant impact in relative reproductive and nonreproductive organ weight compared with nontreatment rats (Trisomboon, Watanabe, Wetchasit, & Taya, ). Several studies have reported that KP treatment may also elevate serum testosterone and the hormone could increase the reproductive organ weight (Chaturapanich, Chaiyakul, Verawatnapakul, Yimlamai, & Pholpramool, ; Trisomboon et al., ). Furthermore, our results are in agreement with those of previous reports, showing that KP treatment in diabetic rats increase serum testosterone level.…”

“…Baker (KP) or Krachaidum belongs to the Family Zingiberaceae (Chaturapanich et al., ; Trisomboon, Tohei, Malaivijitnond, Watanabe, & Taya, ). This plant, also known as Thai ginsengs, has been use in Thai traditional medicine as it is believed to possess a number of biological activities such as stomach protection, antioxidant, anti‐inflammatory in alimentary, inhibition of cholinesterase, anticonvulsion, inhibition of NO production, increase male libido and erectile dysfunction as well as for the promoting with good health and well‐being (Chaturapanich et al., ; Trisomboon et al., ; Yorsin, Kanokwiroon, Radenahmad, & Jansakul, ; Yoshino et al., ). The bioactive compounds of KP have been characterised and quantified using gas chromatography.…”

“…The bioactive compounds of KP have been characterised and quantified using gas chromatography. Various polymethoxyflavonone substances including 5‐hydroxy‐3,7‐dimethoxyflavone, 5‐hydroxy‐7‐methoxyflavone, 5‐hydroxy‐3,7,4ʹ‐trimethoxyflavone, 5‐hydroxy‐7,4ʹ‐dimethoxyflavone, 5‐hydroxy‐3,7,3ʹ,4ʹ‐tetramethoxyflavone, 3,5,7‐trimethoxyflavone, 3,5,7,4ʹ‐tetramethoxyflavone, 5,7,4ʹ‐trimethoxyflavone and 5,7,3ʹ,4ʹ‐trimethoxyflavone are found to be major compound in KP roots (Sutthanut, Sripanidkulchai, Yenjai, & Jay, ; Trisomboon et al., ; Youn, Lee, Ho, & Jun, ). Previous studies indicated KP contains chalcone derivatives and flavonoids and flavonoid glycosides to which many methoxyl groups are attached (Akase et al., ; Shimada et al., ).…”

Structures of Two New Phenolic Glycosides, Kaempferiaosides A and B, and Hepatoprotective Constituents from the Rhizomes of <i>Kaempferia parviflora</i>

“…8,9) The extract of the rhizomes of K. parviflora and its constituents were revealed to exhibit several pharmacological activities, such as antiplasmoidal, antifungal, 2) antiinflammatory, [10][11][12] α-glucosidase inhibitory, 13) and xanthine oxidase inhibitory 1) activities and cytotoxicity of several tumor cell lines 14,15) as well as effect of P-glycoprotein function 16) and modulation of multi-drug resistance in cancer cells.…”