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. 2020 Nov 18;28(12):1791–1796. doi: 10.1016/j.jsps.2020.11.005

Comparative efficacy of Gum Arabic (Acacia senegal) and Tribulus terrestris on male fertility

Omaima Nasir a,⁎, Nada Alqadri a, Salma Elsayed b, Omaima Ahmed c, SH Alotaibi d, Roua Baty e, Hiba Omer f, Suzan A Abushal g, Anja T Umbach h
PMCID: PMC7783220  PMID: 33424268

Abstract

In this study the effect of Gum arabic (Acacia Senegal) was systemically targeted at male fertility with two experiments, the first comparing the effectiveness of Gum arabic (GA) and Tribulus terrestris (TT). For the first experiment, 27 adult mice Balb / c (18 females, 9 males) were divided into 3 in each group, one male and two females, group one had the usual tap water as power, group two had 5% (w / v) GA and group three had 5% (w / v) of TT for 21 days. The results showed, the number of offspring was more with GA treated when compared to TT treated. Blood measurements of testosterone showed significant increase in the GA group as compared to other groups, also Histopathological analysis showed the dose dependent 5% GA had normal seminiferous tubules with increase spermatogenesis. In this study the enhanced fertility in GA-treated mice Balb/c was observed and the experimental studies also show that GA fertility was increased.

Keywords: Acacia senegal, Aphrodisiac, Semen analysis, Histopathological analysis, Mice

1. Introduction

Infertility is a major issue that complicates reproductive age couples, leading to further psychological complications. Numerous factors causing male infertility; Decreased semen production in the population over time eliminated from different sectors and farm systems environmental harmful chemicals (Geoffroy-Siraudin, C., et al., 2012). The bioaccumulation of the toxic chemicals in the food chain causes the death of the organisms to influence the growth, development and reproduction of the organisms directly and indirectly (Mikulewicz, M., et al., 2014), thus leading to various alterations at reproductive stages like spermatogenesis (Easley, IV., et al., 2015). Pretesticular, testicular, post-testicular, sperm abnormality is the cause of male infertility, which investigates cell phase and shows the development of reactive oxygen (ROS) species which causes cellular and oxidative damage in many tissues (Dimitriadis, F. et al., 2017).

Recently, antioxidants are of major concern to break the oxidative chain reaction (Kurutas, E. B., 2015), hence herbal medicines are preferred choice for treating male infertility. The presence of natural antioxidant in plants treating various diseases, suggested the treatment of male infertility with no side effects (Safarnavadeh, T., & Rastegarpanah, M. 2011). Whereas sildenafil citrate the first oral drug approved for the treatment of erectile dysfunction has a high risk of cardiovascular problematic events, particularly fatal arrhythmias, headache, blurred vision, back pain, muscle pain, nausea.

Ethno-botanical survey has revealed herbal medicines may be preferred in treating male infertility, the antioxidants present in the plants treat infertility without adverse side effects (Jain, S., 2015). Phytochemicals like alkaloids treats infertility (Tahvilzadeh, M., et al., 2016) saponins are known to improve human sperm parameters (Khaleghi, S., et al., 2017) flavonoids improve male sperm quality as it neutralizes the adverse effects of metals on semen quality (Jamalan, M., et al., 2016), terpenoids improve seminal oxidative stress (Adewoyin, M., et al., 2017) tannins enhancing male infertility (Mohammadi, F., et al., 2013) the antioxidant present in the phytochemicals has potential to provide help in protecting cellular damage of erectile tissues (Naik, B. S., et al., 2016).

Gum arabic (Acacia senegal) is a member of the Leguminosae family, most of them found in Sudan. Gum arabic possesses a lot of counseling (Ahmed, A. A. 2018). The established antioxidant properties of GA are high (Mariod, A. A. 2018).

Based on the above observation of GA possessing many antioxidants with radical scavenging properties, in comparison with Tribulus terrestris Linn. (zygophyllaceae) a well-known Chinese medicine to improve sexual functions (Zhu, W., et al., 2017). Present investigation was initiated to treat male infertility. Hence a couple of experiments were conducted to distinguish the efficiency of GA treatment on fertility. Expt. 1; physiological parameters, histopathology, testosterone analysis in mice. Expt.2; deals with semen analysis (seminogram).

2. Material and methods

2.1. Gum arabic (Acacia senegal)

The Acacia senegal powder was purchased from the local market of Sudan, it is 100% natural powder from Acacia senegal trees which has been prepared by mechanical grinding to fine particle with size <210 μm without any additive. The quality confirmed to be used in food and pharmaceutical requirements approved from The Food and Drug Administration (FDA), https://www.fda.gov/food/food-additives-petitions/food-additive-status-list and recognized as safest dietary fiber by Food and Agriculture Organization of United Nations (FAO), British pharmacopoeia (BP), United State the Foodarmacopoeia (USP) and Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA). In Europe countries Acacia gum (E 414) is authorized as a food additive in the European Union (EU) in accordance with Annex II and Annex III to Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 on food additives, https://efsa. onlinelibrary. wiley.com/doi/10. 2903 / j.efsa. 2017.4741

2.2. Tribulus terrestis

Tribulus terrestris (TT) were collected from the outside garden of Turabah City Saudi Arabia and identified by specialist in plant. The collected spines of TT were cleaned, later the fine powder was prepared with electrical grinder, dissolved in water TT (5% w/v): dissolve 5 g in 100 ml distilled water, boiled at 60◦C for 5 min, cooled, filtered and given daily to mice for 21 days.

2.3. Animal studies

The animal experiments were carried out on Balb/c mice both sexes, from King Fahd Research Center, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. All mice of either sex (female, n = 18, male, n = 9) were housed under controlled environmental conditions (22–24 °C, 50–70% humidity and a 12-h light/dark cycle). Mice were divided into three groups in every group two female were put in separate cages with one male for mating. One group were given normal tap water, group two had a Acacia senegal powder 5%(w/v) dissolved in tap water (5 g/100 ml), (Nasir O., et al., 2008), group three had aqueous extract of Tribulus terrestis spines 5%(w/v), (Saiyeda A., et al., 2016). For the whole period of study the drink of GA and TT were refreshed every 3 days. Throughout the study, mice had free access to standard pelleted food containing (C1310, Altromin, Lage, Germany). All animal experiments were conducted in accord with the principles for the care and use of laboratory animals in research and approved by the local ethics committee of our University,

All mice were weighted daily to monitor the increase in body weight, after delivery the offspring were counted and weighed daily for two weeks to all groups. On the last day of the experiment all 9 males from all groups were lightly anesthetized with diethylether (Roth, Karlsruhe, Germany) and blood was withdrawn into blood collecting tube by puncturing the retro-orbital plexus for testosterone measurements by immunoassay (CMIA) for the quantitative determination of testosterone from ARCHITECT, Abbott Laboratories, Abbott Park, IL USA,

At the end of the experiment, all 9 males were sacrificed by cervical dislocation and the scrotal sacs opened. The whole testis was removed and fixed in five times its volume of 10% formal saline, the testes were put in separate containers and labelled. After complete fixation of the testes, blocks were embedded in paraffin wax and 5 µm thick sections were cut, the tissue sections were stained with haematoxylin and eosin, mounted in Canada balsam and microscopic examination of the sections was then carried out under the light microscopic (Nikon, Eclipse i80) and the required images were taken in different magnifications with Nikon mounted digital camera (OXM 1200C, Nikon, Japan), to determine possible cytoarchitectural changes of the testes following administrations of GA and TT.

2.4. Statistical analysis

For all experiments the statistical analysis of differences between means of all parameters was carried out using repeated-measures analysis of variance. The Tukey-Kramer posttest was applied. All statistical analysis was performed with GraphPad Prism 8.4.3.686, San Diego, California, USA. www.graphpad.com. The P value was considered as significant difference when it is considered as < 0.05 (Khan et al 2015).

3. Result

3.1. Animal studies

Both control groups of mice treated with Gum arabic and treated with Tribulus terrestis (TT) showed baseline body weight in Fig. 1, Fig. 2, baseline body weight in the Fig. 1, a), pregnancy weight gain (Fig. 1b.), total body weight gain from baseline to delivery (Fig. 1c.).

Fig. 1.

Fig. 1

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a. Female Body weight at baseline, (Fig. 1, b.) Female body weight during pregnancy before deliver, and (Fig. 1, c.), Total Female body weight gain for all groups control group, Gum arabic and Tribulus terrestis after 21 days of treatment.

Fig. 2.

Fig. 2

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Course of female body weight change for all groups, control group, Gum arabic and Tribulus terrestis after 21 days of treatment.

The graph reflecting the number of offspring in (Fig. 3), showed a higher number of offspring (Fig. 3, a.) and a higher number of living offspring (Fig. 3, b.) with 5% Gum arabic compared to the control group and 5% Tribulus terrestis for 21 days.

Fig. 3.

Fig. 3

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a. The total number of offspring, Fig. 3, b. mean of living offspring, for control group, Gum arabic and Tribulus terrestis.

Fig. 4 revealed that the findings of two weeks of body weight of the offspring survived, there was an improvement in body weight in all the three groups from the baseline, although there was an immense rise in the weight of the offspring in the control group and 5% Tribulus terrestis compared to 5% Gum arabic. The weight of the GA treated offspring was not comparatively high, but can be reported as a good weight gain for the animal.

Fig. 4.

Fig. 4

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a. The body weight of offspring at baseline and Fig. 4, b the body weight of offspring after 2 weeks survived from the group of control, Gum arabic and Tribulus terrestis.

Male Balb/c mice graphical chart were shown in (Fig. 5) which shows the testosterone concentration (ng/ml) after 21 days confirmed with increase levels in group 2 with 5% Gum arabic (1.35 ± 0.04,P < 0.001), followed by 5% Tribulus terrestis (0.88 ± 0.09), when compared with the control group (0.85 ± 0.04).

Fig. 5.

Fig. 5

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The male testosterone concentration level for all groups; control, Gum arabic and Tribulus terrestis after 21 days of treatment.

Histological Analysis of male Balb/c mice were shown in (Fig. 6); the section in a testis, seminiferous tubules, lined by stratified germinal epithelium, interstitial spaces, spermatogonia, primary spermatocytes, sperms and some degenerated germ cells.

Fig. 6.

Fig. 6

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Shows the testis section, A and B as Control group showing seminiferous tubules (T) lined by stratified germinal epithelium (Ge), interstitial spaces (I). spermatogonia (Thin arrow), primary spermatocytes (Thick arrow), sperms (arrow head) and Some degenerated germ cells (curve arrow). C and D showing treated 5% GA has seminiferous tubules (T) lined by stratified germinal epithelium (Ge), interstitial spaces (I) have lumina with a few spermatocytes after treatment of (5%) Gum arabic and E and F showing some lumina wide with few sperm after the treatment of (5%) Tribulus terrestis (TT).

4. Discussion

Orthodox herbal remedies are genuinely complimentary, with no adverse side effects, and are more favored to treat health from associated diseases (Firenzuoli, F., & Gori, L. 2007). Persian and Chinese medicines are the most well-known groups of traditional herbal medicine for the treatment of chronic diseases (Shahrajabian, M. H., et al., 2019). Herbal medicines were widely used for the treatment of infertility and sexual dysfunction (Salih, N. K., 2018). The present study demonstrates a new strong potential with the use of GA (Acacia Senegal) to improve male fertility.

The rise in sexual activity seen in animals and in humans treated with GA may be attributed to phytochemicals found in the plant. Current GA treatment was compared to treatment with Tribulus terristis; considered to be an aphrodisiac used in traditional Chinese medicine to improve sexual function (Neychev, V. K., & Mitev, V. I., 2005). GA has shown many phytochemicals thus increased levels of antioxidants, which reduces the oxidative stress (Ahmed, A. A., et al., 2016). Moreover, prior studies showed the progression of male infertility depends on oxidative stress (Agarwal, A., et al., 2014).

GA has phytochemicals like flavonoids (Al Alawi, et al., 2018), alkaloids (ALI, K. S. E., et al., 2020), tannins (Okoro, S. O., et al., 2012) terpenoids (Al Alawi, S. M., et al., 2018), and saponins (Suleiman, I. Y., et al., 2017). Phytochemicals such as saponins and flavonoids has improved fertility (Naik, B. S., et al., 2016), stress leading to ROS causes erectile dysfunction, damages Leydig cells, which decrease the testosterone and also loss of libido is observed, antioxidant potential helps provide protection against cellular damage to erectile tissues (Zhang, Q., et al., 2011). Saponins are considered as anti-stress modulators, they resist the body from stress (Lee, S. H., et al., 2006), both saponins and flavonoids are known for penile erection (Kotta, S., et al., 2013). Testosterone a steroid hormone derived from cholesterol under the influence of follicle-stimulating hormone and luteinizing hormone synthesized in the testes' Leydig cells, which plays a major role in the erectile function caused by ROS stress (Sheweita, S., et al., 2015).

GA is considered to have phytochemicals of antioxidant activity that have aphrodisiac and fertility effects that help human and animal experiment performance. In this study, there was a substantial increase in body weight from baseline in all 3 classes, an increase in body weight was comparable in control and 5% GA was treated, a decrease in weight in 5% of tribulus-treated terrorists. Increase testosterone levels in animals and humans treated with GA, boost seminogram, increase spermatogenesis (Fedail, J. S., et al., 2016). Effect of Increase in the number of offspring with good body weight, confirms that GA can increase libido and sexual function, which lead to improved potency and erectile function, and should be used to treat male infertility. The mechanism of GA on the reproductive system is not completely understood, but the mechanism is to be related to previous study, antioxidant features, phytochemicals present in this plant confirm their infertility treatment with our findings, show that the ability of GA to boost testosterone, boost semen analysis, improve sperm count, increase semen volume and inc.

Experimental studies through the extracts of T. terrestris have indicated an improvement in rat's sexual function owing to an increase in testosterone, dihydrotestosterone and dehydroepiandrosterone (Singh et al., 2012).

5. Conclusion

Based on the findings, it is considered that Gum arabic (Acacia senegal) has a beneficial effect on the treatment of male infertility. As GA is often used as a curative agent in many diseases, GA with phytochemicals has shown a rise in antioxidants, thereby minimizing oxidative stress, and increased sexual activity is attributable to phytomedicines present in GA. This result is useful in improving sexual dysfunction, GA has shown all potential male infertility with our findings in animal studies.

CRediT authorship contribution statement

Omaima Nasir: Conceptualization, Data curation, Writing - original draft. Nada Alqadri: Conceptualization, Writing - original draft. Salma Elsayed: Conceptualization, Formal analysis. Omaima Ahmed: Formal analysis, Methodology, Writing - original draft. S.H. Alotaibi: Conceptualization, Methodology, Writing - original draft. Roua Baty: Writing - original draft. Hiba Omer: Data curation, Writing - original draft. Suzan A. Abushal: Formal analysis, Writing - original draft. Anja T. Umbach: Methodology, Writing - original draft.

Acknowledgments

Acknowledgments

All authors thanks Dr. Mobark Bashir and Dr. Yathreb Yosef, Alkhram, Saudi Arabia for helping in sample measurements. The authors also acknowledge the help of Prof. med. Ferruch Artunc, Department of Internal Medicine, University Hospital Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.

Funding of study

This study was supported and funded by all authors share.

Declarations

Author(s) declare that the manuscript findings were original and novel to best of our knowledge and this manuscript has not been published in any other journals.

Footnotes

Peer review under responsibility of King Saud University.

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