Protection against radiation induced damage to spermatogenesis by Podophyllum hexandrum

Aqueous extract of rhizome of Podophyllum hexandrum (RP-1) has been found to render protection against lethal whole body irradiation (10 Gy), damage to haemopoietic and gastrointestinal tissue etc. in mice. In order to assess its suitability from clinical point of view its effects were investigated on male germinal tissue in mice. Swiss albino strain 'A' male mice (10-12 weeks) were exposed to varied radiation doses (0.5, 2.0, 5.0 and 10 Gy) with and without 200 mg/kg b.w. of RP-1 and sacrificed at different time periods (10, 35 and 70 days) to collect the tissue. Administration of RP-1, 2 h before irradiation rendered a significant increase in the testis weight, repopulating tubules, resting primary spermatocytes, stem cell survival index, sperm counts and reduction in abnormalities of sperm morphology, at all the time periods studied here. RP-1 treatment alone did not generate any adverse effects. These results reveal that RP-1, if put to clinical application, will not be harmful to the testicular system.