Long Jack

Standardized quassinoid-rich Eurycoma longifolia extract improved spermatogenesis and fertility in male rats via the hypothalamic–pituitary–gonadal axis.Journal of Ethnopharmacology

20 Dec 2012. pii: S0378-8741(12)00777-5

Eurycoma longifolia Jack, a small Simaroubaceae tree, known locally as ‘Tongkat Ali’ in Malaysia ( ‘Pasak Bumi’ in Indonesia) is popularly used as a sexual tonic in traditional medicine for aphrodisiac activity and improvement of fertility and male libido.

Male rats, weighing 250–280 g were divided into seven groups of six animals each. The control group was given distilled water only, whereas the other four groups were treated with 4 different fractions of E. longifolia (F1, F2, F3 and F4) at a dose of 25 mg/kg body weight. The remaining two groups of animals were treated with 25 mg/kg (W25) and 250 mg/kg (W250) of E. longifolia aqueous extract (W). 48 days later the animals were then sacrificed and determined for sperm concentration, sperm morphology and motility.

The results showed that a significant increase in spermatogenesis was observed from 10 to 25 mg/kg, and a maximum plateau response was seen at 25 and 50 mg/kg.

The increase in sperm concentration following the F2 treatment was further confirmed by the microscopic morphometry analysis of the testicular tissue showing that the populations of preleptotene spermatogonia, pachytene spermatocytes, round spermatids, spermatozoa production rate, the height of germinal epithelium and Leydig cells count were elevated. 

Amongst the four fractions, the animals treated with F2 at 25 mg/kg showed significantly higher sperm concentration than those of the rest including the control (P<0.001). The sperm concentration of the animals treated with 250 mg/kg of E. longifolia water extract (W250) was also significantly higher than control (P<0.001) and was comparable with that of F2.

The present study showed for the first time that the quassinoids E. longifolia especially the eurycomanone was involved in spermatogenesis process. The increase of the sperm concentration upon treatment with quassinoid-rich E. longifolia fraction treatment was further proven by the detailed microscopic morphometrical analyzing the germ cells followed by the estimated sperm production rate on the testicular tissue. The increase of the sperm concentration was also positively associated with the enhanced fertility index in the present study.

Green Tea and Catechins

J Cell Biochem. 2010 May 15;110(2):333-42. doi: 10.1002/jcb.22541.

Effects of catechin, epicatechin and epigallocatechin gallate on testosterone production in rat leydig cells. 

Catechins are a type of antioxidant found in the greatest abundance in the leaves of the tea plant Camellia sinensis. Thirty-six percent of green tea is composed by tea polyphenols, in which 80% is composed by flavonoids [Chung and Landau, 2000]. The major contents of flavonoids are catechins, for example, CCN, EC, epicatechin gallate (ECG), epigallocatechin (EGC), and EGCG In the study, the effects of catechins on testosterone secretion in rat testicular Leydig cells (LCs) were explored. Both in vivo and in vitro investigations were performed. These results suggested that catechins stimulated testosterone production by acting on rat LC. 

In the in vivo study, 8 groups of 6-7 mice were  were injected with saline (1 ml/kg) as vehicle, CCN (1 µg/ml/kg), EC (1 µg/ml/kg), EGCG (1 µg/ml/kg), human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG, 5 IU/ml/kg), hCG + CCN, hCG + EC, and hCG + EGCG via the jugular catheter.Basically they fed the mice either 1 microgram EGCG, catechin, epicatechin or some combination per kg bodyweight of the mice.

Results of in vivo study showed that the concentration of plasma testosterone increased significantly 8 h later after treated with CCN. The same reaction was also noted when treated with EC and EGCG, respectively (Fig. a). The concentration of plasma testosterone increased significantly when male rats treated with hCG and this phenomenon sustained for 8 h (P < 0.01, Fig. b). The same reaction was also noted when treated with hCG + CCN or hCG + EC. However, the concentration of plasma testosterone increased significantly when treated with hCG + EC compared to the hCG alone (P < 0.05, Fig. b) at 2 and 8 h.

Conclusion: Catechins increased plasma testosterone in vivo in male rats

Clomid

Clomiphene citrate and testosterone gel replacement therapy for male hypogonadism: efficacy and treatment cost. In J Sex Med. 2010 Jan;7(1 Pt 1):269-76. Epub 2009 Aug 17.
 
Extract:
Clomid (oral clomiphene citrate/CC) represents a viable treatment option for men with hypogonadism (defined as testosterone < 300 ng/mL) demonstrating biochemical and clinical efficacy with no side effects and lower cost as compared with TGRT. Male hypogonadism results from a decline in serum testosterone levels and is associated with a constellation of symptoms including decrease in libido, lack of energy, easy fatigability, decrease in strength, loss of vertical height, decrease in enjoyment of life, diminished mood, and decreased potency.
A hundred and four men taking either CC or TGRT (using Androgel) with complete follow-up data were identified. Of these, 65 were taking CC, with dosage initiation at 50 mg orally every other day. The dosage was titrated either down to 25 mg orally every other day or up to 100 mg every other day.

Reference: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19694928 http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1743-6109.2009.01454.x/full
Other Studies:
Urol. 2012 Jul-Aug;38(4):512-8.
Twenty-five milligrams of clomiphene citrate presents positive effect on treatment of male testosterone deficiency - a prospective study.

Extract from study:
Each patient was treated with a daily dose of 25 mg clomiphene citrate, followed up after 3 months. No serious adverse events were recorded during the study period. We used a low oral daily dose of clomiphene citrate (25mg) in 125 men with a mean age of 62 years. All patients had low normal or below normal T levels and all of them complained about decrease or loss of libido. They were enrolled and followed prospectively. Post-treatment T levels increased by a mean of 115%. Both objective and subjective responses were more impressive in younger patients.
Reference: http://brazjurol.com.br/july_august_2012/DaRos_512_518.htm

Red Hot Peppers

Capsaicin
Capsaicin (CAP) is the active substance of red hot peppers, Capsicum annuum. The red hot pepper is a member of Solanacea family.

Biotech Histochem. 2012 Sep 27 reported a study of effects of capsaicin on testis ghrelin expression in mice.

The  study demonstrated that when low dose CAP (0.02% CAP in standard chow) was added to the diet of rats during the developing period, ghrelin expression decreased significantly in Leydig cells, whereas serum testosterone levels and spermatogenic cell activity increased, especially in the adult experimental group.Whether the effects we observed extend to other animals and humans remains
to be investigated.

Read More: http://informahealthcare.com/doi/full/10.3109/10520295.2012.724083

Other studies:

VETERINARSKI ARHIV 79 (5), 509-516, 2009
The histological investigation on the testes of mice after an
application of capsaicin dose of 1 mg/kg body mass everyday for a week
These fi ndings suggest that capsaicin may have a stimulating function in the testes.
See  http://www.vef.unizg.hr/vetarhiv/papers/2009-79-5-9.pdf


Phytother Res. 2005 Jun;19(6):501-5.
Researchers investigated on the effects of feeding a diet containing red hot pepper on the reproductive organs of the chicken. The diet consists of 1% red hot pepper (10 g/kg diet), the chickens caused faster development of the reproductive system organs and lower abdominal fat.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16114096