P-222: The Effect of Vitex Agnus Castus Essential Oil on Seminiferous Tubule Structure in Mice

Background: Plant materials continue to play an important role in the maintenance of human health since antiquity. Phytoestrogens are naturally occurring plant substances that can either mimic or antagonize the action of endogenous estrogens. This study was conducted to investigate the effects of vitex agnus as a phytoestrogenic plants, essential oil on structure and morphology of seminiferous tubule in mice. Materials and Methods: In this study, 25 adult male mice were divided in to five groups: group 1 and 2 as control and sham respectively, group 2 received 75 mg/ kg, group 3 received 1000 mg/kg and group 4 received 1500 mg/kg essential oil via gastric gavage for seven consecutive days. After this time, animals sacrificed by cervical dislocation. Then both testes were taken immediately and fixed in Boein’s solution and processed by standard and routine paraffin embedding. 5-7μ thickness serial sections were stained by Hematoxylin and Eosin. They were studied under the light microscope and photomicrographs were taken. Results: Histological studies revealed that vitex essential oil can be damaged Spermatogenic germinal epithelium of seminiferous tubules and reduced height of germinal epithelium. In low doses, changes include appearance of vesicles in the germinal epithelium, changing the structure and morphology of Sertoli cells and changes in form and density of spermatogonia nucleus. In group 3, Sertoli cell height reduced significantly and also decreasing of germinal epithelium height was observed. In doses of 1000 and 1500, lumen diameter of seminiferous tubule was increased significantly. Severe damage of germinal epithelium and arrangement of Spermatogenic cells were detected. Conclusion: Finally, it can be concluded that vitex agnus essential oil affect seminiforus tubule and its damaging is in dose dependent manner.