The Effects of Ficus carica on Male and Female Reproductive Capabilities in Rats

Noor Ul Ain; Rafeeq Alam Khan; Talat Mirza; Talha Bin Fayyaz

doi:10.1155/2022/1799431

The Effects of Ficus carica on Male and Female Reproductive Capabilities in Rats

Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2022 Oct 22:2022:1799431. doi: 10.1155/2022/1799431. eCollection 2022.

Authors

Noor Ul Ain^{1

2}, Rafeeq Alam Khan^{1

3}, Talat Mirza⁴, Talha Bin Fayyaz³

Affiliations

¹ Department of Pharmacology, University of Karachi, Karachi, Pakistan.
² Department of Pharmacology, Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Jinnah Sindh Medical University, Karachi, Pakistan.
³ Faculty of Pharmacy, Ziauddin University, Education City Link Road Karachi, Karachi, Pakistan.
⁴ Medical College, Ziauddin University, Karachi, Pakistan.

Abstract

The basic purpose of pharmacology is to look into the benefits of natural remedies and make them available to the general populace. Herbal medicines are now considered to be the future of humanity. The current study explored the effects of Ficus carica (FC) extract in rats of two-generation F₀ (parents) and F₁ (offspring) in either sex. The F. carica extract was initially tested for acute and sub-chronic toxicity. Extracts were also tested for fertility assessment and effects on reproductive hormones like follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH), estradiol, testosterone, dihydrotestosterone (DHT), dehydroepiandrosterone-sulfate (DHEAS), insulin, progesterone, and prolactin. The antioxidant activity of the extract was also evaluated by testing mRNA expressions of SOD2, GPX1, CAT, and GR in male testes and female ovaries. The animals treated with 100 mg/kg FC extract produced a more pronounced fertility effect in both genders. Expression of CAT, SOD2, GPX1, and GR was found to be increased in the reproductive organs of both sexes. Histology of the testes reveals increased spermatogenesis and increased folliculogenesis in ovaries. The hormone profile showed an increase in FSH, DHT, estradiol, and DHEAS levels in males and FSH, LH, estrogen, and DHEAS in females. The results of the study establish the effectiveness of natural products in improving fertility issues in either sex.