BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Humulus lupulus is known for its estrogenic properties as a raw material in the beverage industry. Exposure to exogenous estrogenic compounds during embryonic and neonatal periods are now of public health concern, since it may cause reproductive impairment. Therefore, this study was conducted to evaluate treatment with humulus lupulus during early stages of life on the onset of puberty and some reproductive indices in male rats.
METHODS: In this experimental study, 20 pregnant mice were divided into five groups of four, including control (without treatment), control (saline) and three groups treated with alcoholic extract of humulus lupulus at 50, 100, 150 mg/kg/bw concentrations. They were treated daily from the seventh day of pregnancy to seven days after birth by gavage. Then, the effect of alcoholic extract of humulus lupulus on the onset of puberty, testicular weight and epididymis, sperm count, viability, and motility, testosterone concentration and the fertility of male children were evaluated.
FINDINGS: The onset of puberty in the 150 mg/kg humulus lupulus group (43.6±0.83) occurred later than the control (39.8±0.49) (p<0.01). Testicular and epididymis weight decreased in 100 and 150 humulus lupulus groups (p<0.01). The sperm count, viability, and motility and testosterone concentrations in the 100 and 150 mg/kg humulus lupulus group were significantly lower than the control group (p<0.01). In addition, the percentage of fertility in the 150 mg / kg humulus lupulus group (76.4±2.84) was lower than the control group (89.43±3.31) (p<0.01).
CONCLUSION: The results of this study showed that exposure of male rats to humulus lupulus in early stages of life causes late puberty and has negative effects on reproductive performance