The effect of the aqueous extract of Cynomorium coccineum on the epididymal sperm pattern of the rat

An aqueous extract of Cynomorium coccineum was administered by stomach tube to ten mature male Wistar rats, at a dose of 47 mg/100 kg body weight/day for 14 consecutive days. Ten rats were kept a controls and received normal saline by oral route at the same dosing interval. Sperm was collected from the epididymes after decapitation. The results revealed that the water extr act of the Cynomorium coccineum induced significant increase in the sperm c ount, improved the percentage of live sperm and their motility and decrease d the number of abnormal sperm. Testicular histology showed increased sperm atogenesis and seminiferous tubules full of sperm in the treated group comp ared with the controls. Copyright (C) 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.