M.Başak ULKAY, ABİT AKTAŞ, H. Hakan BOZKURT

The effect of Trifolium pratense L. (Red Clover) on rat testes

Legimünöz ailesine ait olan Trifolium pratense L. fitoöstrojen içeren bir mera bitkisidir. Dört önemli isoflavon (biochanin A, formonentin, genistein, daidzein) ve koumestanları taşıdığı bilinmektedir. Bu çalışmada, Trifolium pratense L.’nin sıçan testisleri üzerine olan etkileri araştırıldı. Bu bağlamda testis ağırlığı, seminifer tübül ve seminifer tübül epitelinin hacim yoğunluğu ile spermatogonyum hücrelerinin hacim yoğunluğu ve Sertoli hücrelerinin çekirdekleri hacim yoğunluğu yönünden incelendi. Ayrıca Trifolium pratense L.’nin Sertoli hücresi sayısı üzerine olan etkileri saptandı. Karşılaştırma yapabilmek için 17-β estradiol’un etkisi, yukarıda bildirilen parametreler yönünden incelendi. Bu araştırmada, dişi Wistar sıçanlar (n=80) ve bu dişilerden doğan erkek yavrular (n=54) üç gruba ayrıldı. Birinci grubun temel diyetine %7.5 oranında Trifolium pratense L., ikinci grubun temel diyetine 0.5 mg/kg 17-β estradiol eklendi. Üçüncü grup ise kontrol grubu olarak ayrıldı. Dişi sıçanlar, gebelik ve laktasyon periyodları boyunca ait oldukları grubun diyetleri ile beslendi. Bu annelerden doğan erkek yavruların sütten kesildikten sonra 12 hafta boyunca kendi annelerinin diyetleriyle beslenmesi yoluna gidildi. Her grupta, erkek yavruların yarısı 18 günlük olduklarında, diğer yarısı da 90 günlük olduklarında CO2 anestezisi altında sakrifiye edildiler. Sonuçta; diyetteki Trifolium pratense L.’nin spermatogenezis üzerinde kısa süreli olumlu bir etkiye sahip olduğu, uzun dönemde ise bu etkinin olumsuz yönde olduğu saptandı.

Anahtar Kelimeler:

Trifolium pratense, östrojen, sıçan, sperma oluşması, testis

Trifolium pratense L. (Kırmızı yonca)'nın rat testislerine etkisi

Trifolium pratense L. is a legume containing large amounts of phytoestrogen. It contains four important estrogenic isoflavones (biochanin A, formonentin, genistein, daidzein) and coumestans. The effect of Trifolium pratense L. on the testes of rats was investigated in terms of the following parameters: (a) testis weights, (b) volume densities of seminiferous tubule, seminiferous tubule epithelium, spermatogonium nucleus and Sertoli cell nucleus and (c) Sertoli cell number. For comparative purposes, the effect of the well characterized exogenous estrogen, 17-β estradiol was also examined. Female Wistar rats (n = 80) and their male offspring (n = 54) were divided into 3 diet groups. The first group were given a basic diet with 7.5% Trifolium pretense L. added, the second group were given the basic diet with 0.5mg/kg dose of 17-β estradiol added and the control group fed with the basic diet alone. The male offspring were sacrificed at postnatal days 18 and 90. Trifolium pretense L. in the diet was found to have a short term positive effect on pupertal spermatogenesis but a negative effect on it in the long term.

Keywords:

Trifolium pratense, oestrogens, rats, spermatogenesis, testes,

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