Razi Journal of Medical Sciences

    Background & Aim: Ruta graveolens(R.G) has been used for sexual impotence in men and abortion in women. In this study the effect of aqueous extract of this plant has been investigated on testis tissue and spermatogenesis. Material and Methods: For this reason as an experimental research, animals were allocated to three groups as control which did not receive anything, vehicle which received only normal saline, and experimental which received ruta extract. Lethal dose 50(LD 50) of extract was considered as 560mg/kg. Based on this, sub LD 50 dose of aqeous extract i.e 280mg/kg was injected intraperitoneally once every other day for one week. A month after the last injection the animals were deeply anesthetized and dissected. Blood was collected intracardically for hormonal assay. The testis were extruded, weighed and then fixed for histological studies. For statistical analysis ANOVA and Tukey as a post hoc test were used. Results: Intraperitoneal injection of 280mg/kg R.G showed nonsignificant changes in body weight and testicular weight and induced a significant decrease in the number of type A spermatogonia(P<0.01) and primary spermatocyte(p<0.05) in experimental group as compared to control and vehicle. There were no significant differences in number of type B and spermatozoid between the groups. There was increase in thickness of tunica albugina and decrease in number of sertoli cells in experimental group as compared to control(P<0.01) and vehicle(P<0.05) which was significant. Also there was a decrease in number of Leydig cells, testosterone and LH levels in experimental group which was not significant. Conclusion: The aqueous extract of R.G diminishes the reproductive system activity and might be useful a substances for birth control process.