Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
II. International VET istanbul Group Congress, Sankt-Peterburg, Rusya, 7 - 09 Nisan 2015, ss.25
lntroduction: Taraxacum officinale extract (TOE) has been widely used as a folkloric
medicine tor the treatment of diverse diseases. Furtherrnore, TOE has inhibiting effect on
reactive oxygen species. The aim of this study was to investigation of the effects of TOE
on reproductive and biochemical parameters in male rats.
Material and methods: in the study, 24 male Sprague Dawley rats aged eight weeks
old and weighted 250-300 gr, were used in this study. The animals were obtalned from
Atatürk University Experimental Research Centre and housed in standard laboratory conditions.
Commercial pellet chow and fresh drinklng water were available ad libitum. Rats
were divided into four groups. 1. group (n=6) referred as control group and physiological
saline via oral gavage to the animals il. group (n=6) referred as Taraxacum officinale extract
(TOE) 150, 150 mg/kg TOE was injected intraperitonally {iP) to animals. 111. Group
(n=6) was referred as TOE200, 200 mgtkg TOE injected iP to animals. iV. group was
referred as TOE250 (n=6), 250 mg/kg TOE injected iP to animals. The treatment was
perforrned fer consecutive 7 days. The animals were tranquilized and sacrifıced on ahı day
of study. Cauda epididymal semen samples and testes tissues were collected. Routine
semen examinations were perforrned and oxidative stress levels of testicular tissues were
assayed. Reproductive organ weights [total testes weight (TIW) and total cauda epididymides
weights (TCEW) ) were recorded. TCEW of sperm cells in TOE250 group was signifıcantly
higher when compared to TOE150 group. On the other hand, motility in TOE250
group was significantly higher when compared to TOE200 and control group. Velocity in
control group was significantly higher when compared to TOE200 and TOE250 group.
Dead sperm rate in control group was signifıcantly higher when compared to TOE150 and
TOE250 group. There were no differences in terrns of sperm density, total abnorrnality,
TTW among all groups. Malondialdehyde {MDA) level of control group was significantly
higher than experimental groups. On the other hand glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and superoxide
dismutase (SOD) levels of control group were significantly lower than experimental
groups. The lowest catalase (CAT) level was in T150 group and the highest glutathione
(GSH) level was in T200 group.lt was deterrnined the protective effect of different doses of
TOE on some reproductive parameters in male rats.
Key words: Taraxacum officinale, reproduction, rat.