Background: There is growing concern that occupational, environmental
and lifestyle factors adversely affect male reproductive health.
Fumaria parviflora Lam. is being used traditionally in Persian folk
medicine to cure various ailments and has been supposed to have
fertility-enhancing properties. Objective: A dose-response study was
designed to assess effects of F. parviflora ethanolic leaves extract on
reproductive parameters in adult male Wistar rats. Materials and
Methods: In this experimental study, healthy adult male rats were
treated with 100, 200 and 400 mg/kg/day of F. parviflora leaves extract
via gavage for 70 days. Blood samples were collected for determination
of testosterone, LH and FSH serum levels. Reproductive organs weight,
motility, morphology and density of epididymal sperm, seminiferous
tubules diameter and germinal epithelium height were evaluated in each
experimental group. Results: The body weight was not affected, while
the weights of testis and epididymis were significantly enhanced in
rats treated with 200 and 400 mg/kg/day F. parviflora extract. No
significant changes were observed in seminal vesicle and ventral
prostate weight between experiment groups. Significant increase was
found in epididymal sperm density and percent of morphologically normal
sperm in extract-treated rats. Serum testosterone levels were
significantly higher in rats received 200 and 400 mg/kg/day.
Conclusion: The results indicated that ethanolic extract of F.
parviflora leaves have a potential to improve reproductive parameters
and enhance male fertility