Prevention of High Altitude-Induced Testicular Disturbances by Previous Treatment With Cyproheptadine in Male Rats

Gonzales, Gustavo F.; Rodriguez, Lewis V.; Valera, J.; Sandoval, Evelia; García-Hjarles, Marco Antonio

doi:10.3109/01485019008986880

Cited by 23 publications

(21 citation statements)

References 9 publications

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“…It is known that exposure to high altitude results in damage to spermatogenesis in humans (Donayre 1968) and other animals (Gonzales et al 1990, Saxena 1995. The present study demonstrated that exposure of male rats to an altitude of 4340 m for a period of 21 days resulted in low epididymal sperm count.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 47%

“…Spermatogenic arrest induced by high altitude may be due to an increased serotonergic activity (Gonzales et al 1990). Furthermore, serotonin has been demonstrated to affect spermatogenesis by acting directly on the testis (Hedger et al 1995), and it has been shown that hypoxia may increase serotonin levels (Awabdy et al 2003).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Tapia et al (2000) reported a reduction in stress in mice fed with diets supplemented with Maca, and therefore reducing stress with Maca may prevent the inhibitory effect of intubation on serum testosterone levels. Gonzales et al (1990) showed that serum testosterone levels in male rats increased after 4 days of exposure to high altitude (4340 m). Mujica (1994) demonstrated that serum testosterone levels were significantly higher at 7, 14 Table 5 Multiple regression analysis to test the probability that altitude and treatment with Maca affect epididymal sperm count in male rats.…”

Section: Figurementioning

confidence: 99%

“…This was also observed during exposure to a simulated altitude of 4411 m (Saxena 1995), and also by the effects of cold (Blanco-Rodríguez & Martinez-Garcia 1997). The changes included degeneration of the germinal epithelium and spermatogenic arrest (Gonzales et al 1990, Saxena 1995.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Exposure to high altitude (4340 m) results in testicular disturbances in men (Donayre 1968) and rats (Gonzales et al 1990). This was also observed during exposure to a simulated altitude of 4411 m (Saxena 1995), and also by the effects of cold (Blanco-Rodríguez & Martinez-Garcia 1997).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Effect of Lepidium meyenii (Maca) on spermatogenesis in male rats acutely exposed to high altitude (4340 m)

Gonzales¹,

Gasco²,

Cordova³

et al. 2004

Journal of Endocrinology

132

127

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Lepidium meyenii (Maca) is a Peruvian hypocotyl that grows exclusively between 4000 and 4500 m in the central Andes. Maca is traditionally employed in the Andean region for its supposed fertility-enhancing properties.The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that Maca can prevent high altitude-induced testicular disturbances. Adult male rats were exposed for 21 days to an altitude of 4340 m and treated with vehicle or aqueous extract of Maca (666·6 mg/day). The lengths of the stages of the seminiferous epithelium and epididymal sperm counts were obtained at 0, 7, 14 and 21 days of exposure. The stages of the seminiferous tubules were assessed by transillumination. A dose-response study was also performed at sea level to determine the effect of Maca given to male rats at doses of 0, 6·6, 66·6 and 666·6 mg/day for 7 days on body weight, seminiferous tubule stages and epididymal sperm count. The length of stage VIII and the epididymal sperm count were increased in a dosedependent manner in Maca-treated rats but treatment reduced the length of stage I. At the highest dose, sperm count increased 1·58 times, the length of stage VIII increased 2·4 times and the length of stage I was reduced 0·48 times compared with the value at dose 0. Exposure to high altitude resulted in a reduction in epididymal sperm count after 7 days and lower values were maintained up to 21 days. Altitude reduced spermiation (stage VIII) to half and the onset of spermatogenesis (stages IX-XI) to a quarter on days 7 and 14 but treatment with Maca (666·6 mg/day) prevented these changes. Data on transillumination and epididymal sperm count in the Macatreated group exposed to high altitude were similar to those obtained at sea level. Maca increased the sperm count on day 21 of exposure to high altitude to values similar (1095·25 20·41 10 6 sperm, means S.E.M.) to those obtained in the Maca-treated group at sea level (1132·30 172·95 10 6 sperm). Furthermore, in the Maca-treated group exposed for 21 days to high altitude, epididymal sperm count was higher than in the nontreated group at sea level (690·49 43·67 10 6 sperm). In conclusion, treatment of rats with Maca at high altitude prevented high altitude-induced spermatogenic disruption.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 47%