African Journal of Biotechnology Vol. 6 (16), pp. 1888-1891, 20 August 2007   

ISSN 1684–5315 © 2007 Academic Journals        

Full Length Research Paper

Effect of Terminalia chebula fruit extract on lipid peroxidation and antioxidative system of testis of albino rats

Krishnamoorthy, P.^1*, Vaithinathan, S.², Vimal Rani, A.³ and Bhuvaneswari, A⁴.

¹Division of Reproductive Biology and Herbal Research, Department of Biochemistry J.J.College of Arts and Science, Pudukkottai- 622 404, Tamil Nadu, India.

²Department of Biochemistry, School of Life Sciences, Pondicherry University, Pondicherry.

^3,4Department of Biochemistry, J.J.College of Arts and Science, Pudukkottai- 622 404, Tamil Nadu, India.

*Corresponding author. E-mail: pkmoorthy68@rediffmail.com.

Accepted 25 July, 2007

The effect of aqueous extract of the Terminalia chebula was studied in male albino rats to explore its activities on testis. 1.0 ml of aqueous extract of T. chebula (500 mg/kg body weight) was given orally for 45 days. The activity of lipid peroxidation and superoxide dismutase were significantly increased but the concentration of antioxidant enzyme glutathione, and catalase were decreased in the aqueous extract administered rats rather than in control rats. Significant decrease in the activities of antioxidant enzymes, spermatogenesis and increase in the level of lipid peroxidation, indicate the severity of oxidative stress induced as a result of administration of extract of T. chebula. The aqueous extract also lead to changes in the parameters such as sperm count, motility and morphology, protein and cholesterol content of the rat testis. The long term (45 days) administration of the extract causes significant changes in the rat testis.

Key words: Terminalia chebula, antioxidant enzymes, extract, antifertility.