Effect of Sub-chronic Admnistration of Mascum Herbal Pride on Sperm Quality of Male Albino Rats

The effect of Mascum Herbal Pride - a registered popular polyherbal medication composed of Hepocreatea pollen 20%, Xylopia aethiopica 20%, Medicago sativa 20%, Tetrapieura tetrapetra 20%, Urtica dioica 20% with indications to promote masculine hormone and male reproductive organ - on the sperm quality of male albino rats was studied. This was an investigation of the claim that the drug improves the male reproductive organ. Aqueous solution of the herbal product was given by oral gavage to three dose groups of five male rats each, namely 1250, 2500, 3750 mg/kg/body weight (b.w) for 90 days and were fed ad libitum with rat chow, the control group received only deionised water. Afterwards, the rats were bled-sacrificed. Epidydymal sperm was collected and analyzed using standard procedures. Sperm analyses involved sperm count, sperm morphology test and sperm motility test. At the doses administered, Mascum Herbal Pride affected the sperm number, morphology and motility of treated animals. Epididymal sperm count and motility were significantly increased (P<0.05). Compared to the control mean sperm count of 172.5 x10(6), groups II, III and IV rats had mean sperm counts of 209 x 10(6), 258 x 10(6) and 293 x 10(6) respectively. Sperm motility scores were 70.0%, 78%, 83.5% and 95% for group I ( control), groups II, III and IV respectively. Sperm morphology of the treated animals was not obviously affected when compared with the control. The present investigation showed that Mascum Herbal Pride modified the sperm characteristics in male albino rats by increasing the sperm count and motility. This proves that the claim that Mascum Herbal Pride improves sexual potency in man may be true. Further research in this regard is recommended.