Dose-related Reversible Suppression of Spermatogenesis and Fertility in Male Laboratory Mice after Treatment with Hibiscus rosa-sinensis (Linn.)

Abstract

The development of an orally active, safe, reversible, and effective male contraceptive of plant origin has
long been a major research focus, owing to its ready availability, cost-effectiveness, and, most importantly,

the preservation of privacy. To evaluate the effects of oral administration of Hibiscus rosa-sinensis (H. rosa-
sinensis; family: Malvaceae) on male reproductive endpoints and fertility, 30 adult male albino mice of

proven fertility were allocated to six groups. Mice in the treated groups received the benzene leaf extract of H.
rosa-sinensis (100 and 200 mg/kg b. w. daily), whereas those in the control group received olive oil for 35 days.
H. rosa-sinensis treatment induced dose-related histological alterations in reproductive organs, including
reduced organ weights, decreased height of the seminiferous epithelium, reduced diameter of stage VII
tubules, and increased percentage of affected seminiferous tubules in the testes. Treatments adversely
affected sialic acid and fructose levels and sperm parameters; libido was not affected, but fertility was
significantly suppressed in extract-treated males compared with controls. Forty-two days after treatment
withdrawal, reproductive endpoints and fertility returned to levels comparable with controls. Furthermore,
the histoarchitecture of the liver and kidney, serum levels of ALT, AST, and creatinine, and haematological

parameters remained unaltered compared with controls. The results suggest that treatment with H. rosa-
sinensis causes dose-dependent, reversible suppression of spermatogenesis and fertility in albino mice,

without any visible toxicity. Therefore, it might be a potential candidate for herbal male contraception.