Effect of ginger, Zingiber officinale on sex hormones and certain biochemical parameters of male Wistar rats

It is well demonstrated that phytoestrogens play an important role in the male reproductive system. So, the aim of the current study was to determine effect of ginger on sex hormones and blood biochemical levels in rat. A 40 male Wistar rats (200-250 g) kept as folk and fed basal chew pellet for a week, then randomly divided into 4 experimental groups. Group 1 was kept as control and fed basal diet (commercial chew pellet) and orally gavage with distilled water. Groups 2-4, provided basal diet and orally gavage of the 100, 200 and 300 mg ginger powder in distilled water, respectively for 4 weeks. At the end of the study, Serum glucose, cholesterol, triglyceride, LDL, HDL, albumin, total protein, urea as well as LH, FSH and testosterone determined. Then animals sacrificed and sperm was collected from epididymis and prepared for spermatozoa characteristics, semen testosterone, LH and FSH levels. According to the results, dose dependent increase observed on spermatozoa forward movement (P=0.0001). A dose dependent increase observed on sperm viability (P=0.0001). Orally administration of the 100, 200 and 300 mg of the ginger significantly increased serum total protein (P=0.0008) and decreased glucose (P=0.014) compared to the control group. Administration of the ginger in a dose dependent manner increased serum triglyceride (P=0.01) and HDL (P=0.0006) levels in rat compared to the control group. Orally gavage of the ginger significantly increased semen testosterone levels in comparison to the control group (P=0.009) while had no significant effect on LH and FSH levels (P > 0.05). No significant effect observed on serum LH, FSH and testosterone levels compared to the control group (P > 0.05). These results suggested ginger improves spermatozoa characteristics and semen hormone level.