Effect of Ashwagandha Roots on the Fertility of Diabetic Male Rats

The present work aimed to investigate the effect of ashwagandha root powder (ARP)consumption on the Fertility of male rats. Thirty male rats were randomly divided into 5 equal groups (n=6). The 1st group was fed the basal diet for 56 days as a negative control (-ve). The 2nd group was injected with a single dose of Alloxan to induce diabetes. Groups 3-5 are the same as group two but fed on a basal diet containing 4, 6 and 8% of ARP, respectively. Results of the chemical composition of ARP, showed that each 100 g contained fat, fiber, protein, carbohydrate, ash and moisture at 0.9, 33.3, 3.3, 51.1, 4.2 and 7.2%, respectively. The polyphenolic compound Quercetin recorded 22.776 mg/100g, followed by Vanillic acid at 18.66 mg/100g.The antioxidant activity DPPH was 63.69 % in the high tested level of 7% of sample. A biological study showed that, administration of ARP to diabetic rats decreased weight gain, total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), Low density Lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL), malondialdehyde (MDA) and sperm Abnormalities. On the other hand, FSH, LH, testosterone, High density Lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-c,) CAT, motility%, Concentration %, and alive Sperms% were increased by ARP administration. In conclusion, dietary supplementation with ashwagandha root powder (ARP) resulted in a significant improvement in biomarkers associated with fertility and hypercholesterolemia. These findings suggest that the intake of ARP may offer potential benefits for individuals with fertility issues.