Author/Authors :
Shahabi، Sima نويسنده Physiology and Pharmacology Department, Babol University of Medical Science, Babol, Iran , , Ali Jorsaraei، Seyed Gholam نويسنده Fatemeh Zahra Fertility and Infertility Reproductive Health Research Center, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Iran , , Moghadamnia، Ali Akbar Ali Akbar نويسنده Cellular and Molecular Biology Research Center (CMBRC), Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Iran Moghadamnia, Ali Akbar Ali Akbar , Barghi، Effat Effat نويسنده Cellular and Molecular Biology Research Center (CMBRC), Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Iran. Barghi, Effat Effat , Zabihi ، Ebrahim نويسنده Cellular and Molecular Biology Research Center, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Iran Zabihi , Ebrahim , Golsorkhtabar Amiri، Masoumeh نويسنده Fatemeh-Zahra Infertility and Reproductive Health Research Center, Babol University of Medical Science, Babol, Iran , , Maliji، Ghorban Ghorban نويسنده Cellular and Molecular Biology Research Center (CMBRC), Babol Universityof Medical Sciences, Babol, Iran Maliji, Ghorban Ghorban , Sohan Faraji، Alieh Alieh نويسنده Department of Anatomical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Iran Sohan Faraji, Alieh Alieh , Abdi Boora، Maryam نويسنده Cellular and Molecular Biology Research Center (CMBRC), Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Iran , , Ghazinejad، Neda نويسنده Cellular and Molecular Biology Research Center (CMBRC), Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Iran , , Shamsai، Hajar نويسنده Cellular and Molecular Biology Research Center (CMBRC), Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Iran ,
Abstract :
In some traditional therapies, it has been claimed that camphor (a crystalline ketone obtained from cinnamomum camphora) would be a suppressor of sexual behaviors and sex hormones. This study evaluated the effects of camphor on sex hormones, like luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and testosterone. In this experimental study, 56 male rats were divided into 5 groups, including control (n=12), sham (n=11) and three treatment groups (n=11) in three different doses. The sham groups received daily intra peritoneal (IP) injections of the vehicle (ethanol 10%) for 30 days. Three treatment groups received different daily IP injections of the camphor (1, 2 and 5 mg/Kg) for 30 days and the control groups didn’t received anything. Serums were used for assaying LH, FSH and testosterone. The level of LH significantly increased in all doses of camphor among the treatment groups as compared to the control (p < 0.05), but camphor in doses 2 and 5 mg/Kg significantly reduced the FSH level as compared to control group (p < 0.05). No significant changes were seen in testosterone levels. Camphor increased level of LH, decreased level of FSH, whereas it failed to change level of testosterone. The claim of inhibitory effect of camphor on sexual activity could not be confirmed by this study. More investigations in this field are suggested.
