TY - JOUR ID - 5459 TI - Aloe vera toxic effects: expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) in testis of Wistar rat JO - Iranian Journal of Basic Medical Sciences JA - IJBMS LA - en SN - 2008-3866 AU - Asgharzade, Samira AU - Rafieian-kopaei, Mahmoud AU - Mirzaeian, Amin AU - Reiisi, Somaye AU - Salimzadeh, Loghman AD - Department of Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Advanced Medical Technologies, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran AD - Medical Plant Research Center, Shahrekord University of Medical Sciences, Shahrekord, Iran AD - Cellular and Molecular Research Center, Shahrekord University of Medical Sciences, Shahrekord, Iran AD - Department of Genetics, Faculty of Basic Sciences, University of Shahrekord, Shahrekord, Iran Y1 - 2015 PY - 2015 VL - 18 IS - 10 SP - 967 EP - 973 KW - Aloe Vera gel KW - Inducible nitric oxide-synthase KW - Wistar rat KW - Testis DO - 10.22038/ijbms.2015.5459 N2 - Objective(s): Nitric oxide (NO), a product of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), contributes in germ cell apoptosis. This study was aimed to evaluate the effects of Aloe vera gel (AVG) on male Wistar rat reproductive organ, serum NO level, and expression of iNOS gene in leydig cells. Materials and Methods:Adult male Wistar rats (n=36) were used for experiments in three groups. The experimental groups were orally administered with the AVG extract solution once-daily as follow: 150 mg.kg-1; group A, 300 mg.kg-1; group B, and only normal saline; group C (control group). They were mated with untreated females and the reproductive and chemical parameters were assessed for each group, including semen quality, serum testosterone, sperm fertility, gonad and body weight, serum NO concentration (by the Griess method), and iNOS gene expression (using RT-PCR). Results: The testes weight, serum testosterone, as well as sperm count and fertility of the AVG treated groups were significantly reduced when compared to the control (P<0.001). Concentration of serum NO was significantly increased (37.1±4.63 µM) in the administrated group with higher AVG concentration, compared to the control group (P<0.001; 10.19±0.87 µM); however, iNOS mRNA expression was increased in the treated animals (P<0.001). Conclusion:iNOS may play a functional role in spermatogenesis via apoptosis, reducing sperm count, but further studies are needed to illustrate the mechanisms by which AVG exerts its negative effects on spermatogenesis and sperm quality. UR - https://ijbms.mums.ac.ir/article_5459.html L1 - https://ijbms.mums.ac.ir/article_5459_9e8fdd8bafb609db61f1d9468f064c84.pdf ER -