Background Typha capensis is one of the medicinal plants commonly used to manage male fertility problems. The objective of the present study was to assess its fertility-promoting effects in a rat model of cadmium-induced infertility. Methods A total of 30 male Wister rats were randomly divided into five groups of six animals each. Animals of group I, which served as control, were administered with cadmium chloride (CdCl2; 2.5 mg/kg) and normal saline (2 mL/kg). Group II was served with 0.5 mL normal saline only. Animals of groups III-V were treated with CdCl2 (2.5 mg/kg) plus T. capensis extract at doses of 100, 200, and 400 mg/kg, respectively. Animals were sacrificed under sedation. Testes and epididymal weights and sperm count were determined. Histological assessment of the testes was conducted. Results T. capensis at any dose did not improve (p > 0.05) testicular and epididymal weights compared with those of the CdCl2-exposed control group. Histology revealed moderate necrosis in the same group. T. capensis modestly increased the sperm count by 14%, 31%, and 35%, for groups treated with the extract at doses 100, 200, and 400 mg/kg, respectively, when compared with the CdCl2 control group, although the differences were not significant statistically (p > 0.05). Conclusions Results of our study demonstrated that T. capensis can neither offer protective effects against oxidative stress nor promote fertility in an animal model of cadmium-induced infertility.
Keywords: Typha capensis; cadmium chloride; male infertility; reproductive health.