Spermatotoxic effect of ochratoxin and its amelioration by Emblica officinalis aqueous extract.

The present study was carried out to evaluate the spermatotoxic effect of ochratoxin and it's amelioration by Emblica officinalis aqueous extract. When male albino mice were treated with ochratoxin (50 and 100 microg/0.2 mL of olive oil/animal/day for 45 days, orally) alterations in various reproductive parameters were observed (sperm count, sperm motility, sperm viability and fertility rate), when further treated with the aqueous extract of Emblica officinalis (2 mg/animal/day for 45 days) amelioration was noted in ochratoxin-induced spermatotoxic effect. Oral administration of ochratoxin for 45 days caused, as compared to vehicle control (Group 2), dose-dependent significant (p < 0.05) reduction in cauda epididymal sperm count, sperm motility, sperm viability and fertility rate (Groups 4, 5). Oral administration of aqueous extract of Emblica officinalis alone did not cause any significant changes in above mentioned parameters (Group 3). However, Emblica officinalis aqueous extract along with ochratoxin treatment caused significant recovery in all the sperm parameters as well as in fertility rate (Groups 6, 7) in comparison with ochratoxin alone treated animals (Groups 4, 5). Amelioration was higher in high dose ochratoxin plus extract treated animals than that of respective low dose. When normal human sperm cell suspension was treated with ochratoxin (in vitro), various morphological alterations were observed. These were mitigated further, when treated with aqueous extract of Emblica officinalis.