Vitamin C Ameliorates the Antifertility Effects of Inhaled Marijuana in Rats

Udokang Nsikak Ephraim; Udom Utibe Godwin

doi:doi:10.11648/j.sjph.20190705.12

| Peer-Reviewed

Vitamin C Ameliorates the Antifertility Effects of Inhaled Marijuana in Rats

Udokang Nsikak Ephraim, Udom Utibe Godwin

Published in Science Journal of Public Health (Volume 7, Issue 5)

Received: 20 May 2019 Accepted: 26 June 2019 Published: 25 September 2019

Views: Downloads:

Download PDF

Share This Article

Twitter
Linked In
Facebook

Abstract

This study was carried out with a total of forty (40) male wistar rats randomly divided into four groups of ten (10) rats per group. Group 1 was the control and was treated with distilled water, group 2 was the low dose group (exposed to marijuana smoke for 5 minutes daily), group 3 was the high dose group (exposed to marijuana smoke for 10 minutes daily) and group 4 was the high dose + vitamin C group (exposed to marijuana smoke for 10 minutes and orally gavaged with vitamin C at 2.8 mg/kg body weight daily). The animals were sacrificed on the 29th day and testes were collected. Semen sample were collected and analyzed of Total sperm cell in sample (106/ml), Sperm Concentration (106/ml), Number of Motile sperm, Progressivity, Velocity of Active Path (µm/s). Testicular histology was carried out. The result showed a dose-dependent decrease in all the measured parameters in groups treated with marijuana (group 2 and 3) and an almost equivalent value with the control group for the group treated with marijuana + vitamin C (group 4). The testicular histological section reveals hypochromic section seminiferous tubules with swollen germinal cells and spermatogenic lining cell and irregular alignment of myoid cells for the group 2 and 3 when compared with the control group. But these damages were observed to be ameliorated in the marijuana + vitamin C group (group 4). From this result, it can therefore be concluded that marijuana possesses an antifertility property as seen in the decrease in total sperm count, Sperm Concentration, Number of Motile sperm, Progressivity, Velocity of Active Path and deformation of the testes of rats in this study. Also that vitamin C can ameliorate the antifertility effects of inhaled marijuana in rats.

Published in	Science Journal of Public Health (Volume 7, Issue 5)
DOI	10.11648/j.sjph.20190705.12
Page(s)	140-150
Creative Commons	This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.
Copyright	Copyright © The Author(s), 2024. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Marijuana, Vitamin C, Semen Analysis, Testicular Histology, Reactive Oxygen Specie (ROS), Antioxidant, Oxidative Stress, Antifertility

References

[1]	Lackner J, Schatzl G, Waldhör T, Resch K, Kratzik C, Marberger M. Constant decline in sperm concentration in infertile males in an urban population: experience over 18 years. Fertil Steril. 2005 Dec; 84 (6): 1657-61.
[2]	Ajayi AB, Ajayi VD, Oyetunji I, Biobaku O, Aikhuele H, Adedamilola A, Ayelehin I I, Afolabi BM. Are semen parameters worsening? Comparing semen parameters 10 years apart. Niger Med J 2017; 58: 72-5.
[3]	CendrineGeoffroy-Siraudin, Anderson DieudonnéLoundou, Fanny Romain, VincentAchard, BlandineCourbière, Marie-Hélène Perrard, Philippe Durand, Marie-RoberteGuichaoua. Decline of semen quality among 10 932 males consulting for couple infertility over a 20-year period in Marseille, France. Asian J Androl. 2012; 14: 584–590. doi: 10.1038/aja.2011.173.
[4]	Thomas G. Travison, Andre B. Araujo, Amy B. O’Donnell, VarantKupelian, John B. McKinlay, A Population-Level Decline in Serum Testosterone Levels in American Men, The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, Volume 92, Issue 1, January 2007, Pages 196–202, https://doi.org/10.1210/jc.2006-1375.
[5]	Sharlip ID, Jarow JP, Belker AM, Lipshultz LI, Sigman M, Thomas AJ, Schlegel PN, Howards SS, Nehra A, Damewood MD, et al. Best practice policies for male infertility. FertilSteril. 2002; 77 (5): 873–82.
[6]	du Plessis SS, Agarwal A, Syriac A. Marijuana, phytocannabinoids, the endocannabinoid system, and male fertility. J Assist Reprod Genet. 2015; 32 (11): 1575–88.
[7]	Sansone, A., Di Dato, C., de Angelis, C., Menafra, D., Pozza, C., Pivonello, R., and Gianfrilli, D. (2018). Smoke, alcohol and drug addiction and male fertility. Reproductive Biology and Endocrinology, 16 (1), 3.
[8]	Hacışevki, A. (2009). An overview of ascorbic acid biochemistry. Journal of Faculty of Pharmacy. 38 (3): 233-255.
[9]	Pehlivan, F. E. (2017). Vitamin C. An Antioxidant Agent. Vitamin C: 24-32.
[10]	Verma, R. S., Mhta, A. and Srivastava, N. (2007). In vivo chlorpyrifos induced oxidative stress: Attenuation by antioxidant vitamins. Pesticide Biochemistry and Physiology. 88: 191-196.
[11]	Rouhier, N., Lemaire, S. D. and Jacquot, J. P. (2008). The role of glutathione in photosynthetic organisms: Emerging functions for glutaredoxins and glutathionylation. Annual Review of Plant Biology. 59: 143-166.
[12]	Bindhumol, V., Chitra, K. C. and Mathur, P. P. (2003). A induces reactive oxygen species generation in the liver of male rats. Toxicology. 188: 117-124.
[13]	Aitken RJ. Oxidative stress and the etiology of male infertility. J Assist Reprod Genet. 2016; 33 (12): 1691–1692. doi: 10.1007/s10815-016-0791-4.
[14]	H. Wagner, J. W. Cheng, E. Y. KoRole of reactive oxygen species in male infertility: an updated review of literature. Arab J. Urol., 16 (1) (2018), pp. 35-43.
[15]	KeltonTremellen, Oxidative stress and male infertility—a clinical perspective, Human Reproduction Update, Volume 14, Issue 3, May/June 2008, Pages 243–258, https://doi.org/10.1093/humupd/dmn004
[16]	Agarwal A, Prabakaran S, Allamaneni S (2006) What an andrologist/urologist should know about free radicals and why. Urology 67: 2-8.
[17]	Mayorga-Torres BJ, Camargo M, Agarwal A, du Plessis SS, Cadavid AP, Cardona Maya WD (2015b). Influence of ejaculation frequency on seminal parameters. Reproductive biology and endocrinology: RB&E 13: 47.
[18]	Colavitti R, Pani G, Bedogni B, Anzevino R, Borrello S, Waltenberger J, Galeotti T (2002) Reactive oxygen species as downstream mediators of angiogenic signaling by vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-2/KDR. Journal of Biological Chemistry 277: 3101-3108.
[19]	Mayorga-Torres BJ, Camargo M, Cadavid ÁP, du Plessis SS, Cardona Maya WD. Are oxidative stress markers associated with unexplained male infertility? Andrologia. 2016; doi: 10.1111/and.12659.PubMedGoogle Scholar.
[20]	Saleh RA, Agarwal A. Oxidative stress and male infertility: from research bench to clinical practice. J Androl 2002; 23: 737-52.
[21]	Sikka SC, Rajasekaran M, Hellstrom WJ. Role of oxidative stress and antioxidants in male infertility. J Androl 1995; 16: 464–8.
[22]	Agarwal A, Prabakaran SA, Said TM. Strategies to prevent oxidative stress-induced injury to human spermatozoa. J Androl 2005; 26: 654–60.
[23]	Kobayashi CI, Suda T. Regulation of reactive oxygen species in stem cells and cancer stem cells. J Cell Physiol 2012; 227: 421-430.
[24]	I. A. Alagbonsi, L. A. Olayaki. Ameliorative effect of combined melatonin and vitamin C on Cannabis sativa-induced reproductive hormonal toxicity J. Afr. Assoc. Physiol. Sci., 4 (2016), pp. 14-24.
[25]	Gomez E, Irvine D, Aitken R (1998) Evaluation of a spectrophotometric assay for the measurement of malondialdehyde and 4-hydroxy-alkenals in human spermatozoa: Relationships with semen quality and sperm function. International journal of andrology 21: 81-94.
[26]	Aitken RJ, Smith TB, Jobling MS, Baker MA, De Iuliis GN (2014) Oxidative stress and male reproductive health. Asian journal of andrology 16: 31-38.
[27]	Kao SH, Chao HT, Chen HW, Hwang TI, Liao TL, Wei YH. Increase of oxidative stress in human sperm with lower motility. FertilSteril 2007. (30 July, 2007, online publication ahead of print).
[28]	Diamanti-Kandarakis E, Bourguignon J-P, Giudice LC, Hauser R, Prins GS, Soto AM, et al. Endocrine-disrupting chemicals: an Endocrine Society scientific statement. Endocr Rev. 2009; 30 (4): 293–342.
[29]	Spiers JG, Chen HJ, Sernia C, Lavidis NA. Activation of the hypothalamicpituitary-adrenal stress axis induces cellular oxidative stress. Front Neurosci. 2014; 8: 456.
[30]	Appasamy M, Muttukrishna S, Pizzey A, Ozturk O, Groome N, Serhal P, et al. Relationship between male reproductive hormones, sperm DNA damage and markers of oxidative stress in infertility. ReprodBioMed Online. 2007; 14 (2): 159–65.
[31]	M. Darbandi, S. Darbandi, A. Agarwal, P. Sengupta, D. Durairajanayagam, R. Henkel, M. R. Sadeghi Reactive oxygen species and male reproductive hormones Reprod. Biol. Endocrinol., 16 (2018), p. 87.
[32]	Kiziler AR, Aydemir B, Onaran I, Alici B, Ozkara H, Gulyasar T, et al. High levels of cadmium and lead in seminal fluid and blood of smoking men are associated with high oxidative stress and damage in infertile subjects. Biol Trace Elem Res 2007; 120: 82-91.
[33]	Cunha-Oliveira, T.; Rego, A. C.; Carvalho, F.; Oliveira, C. R. Medical Toxicology of Drugs of Abuse. Chapter 17, In Principles ofAddiction- Comprehensive Addictive Behaviors and Disorders, Miller, P., Ed.; Academic Press: 2013; Vol. 1, 159-175.
[34]	Agarwal A, Virk G, Ong C, duPlessis SS: Effect of oxidative stress on male reproduction. World J Men’s Health. 2014, 32: 1-17.
[35]	Lavranos G, Balla M, Tzortzopoulou A, Syriou V, Angelopoulou R. Investigating ROS sources in male infertility: a common end for numerous pathways. ReprodToxicol 2012; 34: 298-307.
[36]	De Iuliis GN, Newey RJ, King BV, Aitken RJ. Mobile phone radiation induces reactive oxygen species production and DNA damage in human spermatozoa in vitro. PLoS One 2009; 4: e6446.
[37]	Ivanov, A. V., Bartosch, B. &Isaguliants, M. G. Oxidative Stress in Infection and Consequent Disease. Oxidative Medicine and Cellular Longevity 2017, 3496043, doi: 10.1155/2017/3496043 (2017).
[38]	Wang Y, Liang CL, Wu JQ, Xu C, Qin SX, Gao ES. Do Ureaplasmaurealyticum infections in the genital tract affect semen quality? Asian J Androl 2006; 8: 562-8.
[39]	J. Derrick Jr, & B. Dahlberg: Male genital infections and sperm viability. In: Human semen and fertility regulation in men. Ed: Hafez ESE, CV Mosby Co., NY 389-397 (1976).
[40]	R. J. Aitken, K. M. West, D. W. Buckingham: Leoukocyte infiltration into the human ejaculate and its association with semen quality, oxidative stress, and sperm function. J Androl 15, 343- 352 (1994).
[41]	M. Rajasekaran, W. J. Hellstrom, R. K. Naz, & S. C. Sikka: Oxidative stress and interleukins in seminal plasma during leukocytospermia. FertilSteril 64, 166-171 (1995).
[42]	Sikka SC. Oxidative stress and role of antioxidants in normal and abnormal sperm function Front Biosci. 1996; 1: 78–86.
[43]	Rahman K. Studies on free radicals, antioxidants, and co-factors. Clinical Interventions in Aging. 2007; 2 (2): 219–236. PMCID: PMC2684512.
[44]	Rouhier N Lemaire SD, Jacquot JP. The role of glutathione in photosynthetic organisms: Emerging functions for glutaredoxins and glutathionylation. Annual Review of Plant Biology. 2008; 59: 143-166. DOI: 10.1146/annurev.arplant.59.032607.092811. PMID 18444899.
[45]	Verma RS, Mhta A, Srivastava N. In vivo chlorpyrifos induced oxidative stress: Attenuation by antioxidant vitamins. Pesticide Biochemistry and Physiology. 2007; 88: 191-196.

Cite This Article

Plain Text BibTeX RIS

APA Style

Udokang Nsikak Ephraim, Udom Utibe Godwin. (2019). Vitamin C Ameliorates the Antifertility Effects of Inhaled Marijuana in Rats. Science Journal of Public Health, 7(5), 140-150. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.sjph.20190705.12

Copy | Download

ACS Style

Udokang Nsikak Ephraim; Udom Utibe Godwin. Vitamin C Ameliorates the Antifertility Effects of Inhaled Marijuana in Rats. Sci. J. Public Health 2019, 7(5), 140-150. doi: 10.11648/j.sjph.20190705.12

Copy | Download

AMA Style

Udokang Nsikak Ephraim, Udom Utibe Godwin. Vitamin C Ameliorates the Antifertility Effects of Inhaled Marijuana in Rats. Sci J Public Health. 2019;7(5):140-150. doi: 10.11648/j.sjph.20190705.12

Copy | Download

@article{10.11648/j.sjph.20190705.12,
  author = {Udokang Nsikak Ephraim and Udom Utibe Godwin},
  title = {Vitamin C Ameliorates the Antifertility Effects of Inhaled Marijuana in Rats},
  journal = {Science Journal of Public Health},
  volume = {7},
  number = {5},
  pages = {140-150},
  doi = {10.11648/j.sjph.20190705.12},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.sjph.20190705.12},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.sjph.20190705.12},
  abstract = {This study was carried out with a total of forty (40) male wistar rats randomly divided into four groups of ten (10) rats per group. Group 1 was the control and was treated with distilled water, group 2 was the low dose group (exposed to marijuana smoke for 5 minutes daily), group 3 was the high dose group (exposed to marijuana smoke for 10 minutes daily) and group 4 was the high dose + vitamin C group (exposed to marijuana smoke for 10 minutes and orally gavaged with vitamin C at 2.8 mg/kg body weight daily). The animals were sacrificed on the 29th day and testes were collected. Semen sample were collected and analyzed of Total sperm cell in sample (106/ml), Sperm Concentration (106/ml), Number of Motile sperm, Progressivity, Velocity of Active Path (µm/s). Testicular histology was carried out. The result showed a dose-dependent decrease in all the measured parameters in groups treated with marijuana (group 2 and 3) and an almost equivalent value with the control group for the group treated with marijuana + vitamin C (group 4). The testicular histological section reveals hypochromic section seminiferous tubules with swollen germinal cells and spermatogenic lining cell and irregular alignment of myoid cells for the group 2 and 3 when compared with the control group. But these damages were observed to be ameliorated in the marijuana + vitamin C group (group 4). From this result, it can therefore be concluded that marijuana possesses an antifertility property as seen in the decrease in total sperm count, Sperm Concentration, Number of Motile sperm, Progressivity, Velocity of Active Path and deformation of the testes of rats in this study. Also that vitamin C can ameliorate the antifertility effects of inhaled marijuana in rats.},
 year = {2019}
}

Copy | Download

TY  - JOUR
T1  - Vitamin C Ameliorates the Antifertility Effects of Inhaled Marijuana in Rats
AU  - Udokang Nsikak Ephraim
AU  - Udom Utibe Godwin
Y1  - 2019/09/25
PY  - 2019
N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.sjph.20190705.12
DO  - 10.11648/j.sjph.20190705.12
T2  - Science Journal of Public Health
JF  - Science Journal of Public Health
JO  - Science Journal of Public Health
SP  - 140
EP  - 150
PB  - Science Publishing Group
SN  - 2328-7950
UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.sjph.20190705.12
AB  - This study was carried out with a total of forty (40) male wistar rats randomly divided into four groups of ten (10) rats per group. Group 1 was the control and was treated with distilled water, group 2 was the low dose group (exposed to marijuana smoke for 5 minutes daily), group 3 was the high dose group (exposed to marijuana smoke for 10 minutes daily) and group 4 was the high dose + vitamin C group (exposed to marijuana smoke for 10 minutes and orally gavaged with vitamin C at 2.8 mg/kg body weight daily). The animals were sacrificed on the 29th day and testes were collected. Semen sample were collected and analyzed of Total sperm cell in sample (106/ml), Sperm Concentration (106/ml), Number of Motile sperm, Progressivity, Velocity of Active Path (µm/s). Testicular histology was carried out. The result showed a dose-dependent decrease in all the measured parameters in groups treated with marijuana (group 2 and 3) and an almost equivalent value with the control group for the group treated with marijuana + vitamin C (group 4). The testicular histological section reveals hypochromic section seminiferous tubules with swollen germinal cells and spermatogenic lining cell and irregular alignment of myoid cells for the group 2 and 3 when compared with the control group. But these damages were observed to be ameliorated in the marijuana + vitamin C group (group 4). From this result, it can therefore be concluded that marijuana possesses an antifertility property as seen in the decrease in total sperm count, Sperm Concentration, Number of Motile sperm, Progressivity, Velocity of Active Path and deformation of the testes of rats in this study. Also that vitamin C can ameliorate the antifertility effects of inhaled marijuana in rats.
VL  - 7
IS  - 5
ER  -

Copy | Download

Author Information

Udokang Nsikak Ephraim

Department of Physiology, University of Uyo, Uyo, Nigeria
Udom Utibe Godwin

Department of Physiology, University of Uyo, Uyo, Nigeria

Download PDF

Sections

Plain Text BibTeX RIS

APA Style

Udokang Nsikak Ephraim, Udom Utibe Godwin. (2019). Vitamin C Ameliorates the Antifertility Effects of Inhaled Marijuana in Rats. Science Journal of Public Health, 7(5), 140-150. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.sjph.20190705.12

Copy | Download

ACS Style

Udokang Nsikak Ephraim; Udom Utibe Godwin. Vitamin C Ameliorates the Antifertility Effects of Inhaled Marijuana in Rats. Sci. J. Public Health 2019, 7(5), 140-150. doi: 10.11648/j.sjph.20190705.12

Copy | Download

AMA Style

Udokang Nsikak Ephraim, Udom Utibe Godwin. Vitamin C Ameliorates the Antifertility Effects of Inhaled Marijuana in Rats. Sci J Public Health. 2019;7(5):140-150. doi: 10.11648/j.sjph.20190705.12

Copy | Download

@article{10.11648/j.sjph.20190705.12,
  author = {Udokang Nsikak Ephraim and Udom Utibe Godwin},
  title = {Vitamin C Ameliorates the Antifertility Effects of Inhaled Marijuana in Rats},
  journal = {Science Journal of Public Health},
  volume = {7},
  number = {5},
  pages = {140-150},
  doi = {10.11648/j.sjph.20190705.12},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.sjph.20190705.12},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.sjph.20190705.12},
  abstract = {This study was carried out with a total of forty (40) male wistar rats randomly divided into four groups of ten (10) rats per group. Group 1 was the control and was treated with distilled water, group 2 was the low dose group (exposed to marijuana smoke for 5 minutes daily), group 3 was the high dose group (exposed to marijuana smoke for 10 minutes daily) and group 4 was the high dose + vitamin C group (exposed to marijuana smoke for 10 minutes and orally gavaged with vitamin C at 2.8 mg/kg body weight daily). The animals were sacrificed on the 29th day and testes were collected. Semen sample were collected and analyzed of Total sperm cell in sample (106/ml), Sperm Concentration (106/ml), Number of Motile sperm, Progressivity, Velocity of Active Path (µm/s). Testicular histology was carried out. The result showed a dose-dependent decrease in all the measured parameters in groups treated with marijuana (group 2 and 3) and an almost equivalent value with the control group for the group treated with marijuana + vitamin C (group 4). The testicular histological section reveals hypochromic section seminiferous tubules with swollen germinal cells and spermatogenic lining cell and irregular alignment of myoid cells for the group 2 and 3 when compared with the control group. But these damages were observed to be ameliorated in the marijuana + vitamin C group (group 4). From this result, it can therefore be concluded that marijuana possesses an antifertility property as seen in the decrease in total sperm count, Sperm Concentration, Number of Motile sperm, Progressivity, Velocity of Active Path and deformation of the testes of rats in this study. Also that vitamin C can ameliorate the antifertility effects of inhaled marijuana in rats.},
 year = {2019}
}

Copy | Download

TY  - JOUR
T1  - Vitamin C Ameliorates the Antifertility Effects of Inhaled Marijuana in Rats
AU  - Udokang Nsikak Ephraim
AU  - Udom Utibe Godwin
Y1  - 2019/09/25
PY  - 2019
N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.sjph.20190705.12
DO  - 10.11648/j.sjph.20190705.12
T2  - Science Journal of Public Health
JF  - Science Journal of Public Health
JO  - Science Journal of Public Health
SP  - 140
EP  - 150
PB  - Science Publishing Group
SN  - 2328-7950
UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.sjph.20190705.12
AB  - This study was carried out with a total of forty (40) male wistar rats randomly divided into four groups of ten (10) rats per group. Group 1 was the control and was treated with distilled water, group 2 was the low dose group (exposed to marijuana smoke for 5 minutes daily), group 3 was the high dose group (exposed to marijuana smoke for 10 minutes daily) and group 4 was the high dose + vitamin C group (exposed to marijuana smoke for 10 minutes and orally gavaged with vitamin C at 2.8 mg/kg body weight daily). The animals were sacrificed on the 29th day and testes were collected. Semen sample were collected and analyzed of Total sperm cell in sample (106/ml), Sperm Concentration (106/ml), Number of Motile sperm, Progressivity, Velocity of Active Path (µm/s). Testicular histology was carried out. The result showed a dose-dependent decrease in all the measured parameters in groups treated with marijuana (group 2 and 3) and an almost equivalent value with the control group for the group treated with marijuana + vitamin C (group 4). The testicular histological section reveals hypochromic section seminiferous tubules with swollen germinal cells and spermatogenic lining cell and irregular alignment of myoid cells for the group 2 and 3 when compared with the control group. But these damages were observed to be ameliorated in the marijuana + vitamin C group (group 4). From this result, it can therefore be concluded that marijuana possesses an antifertility property as seen in the decrease in total sperm count, Sperm Concentration, Number of Motile sperm, Progressivity, Velocity of Active Path and deformation of the testes of rats in this study. Also that vitamin C can ameliorate the antifertility effects of inhaled marijuana in rats.
VL  - 7
IS  - 5
ER  -

Copy | Download