African Journal of Biomedical Research, Vol. 11 (2008); 329 - 334
ISSN 1119 – 5096 © Ibadan Biomedical Communications Group
Full Length Research Article

Effects of Zingiber Officinale on
Reproductive Functions in the Male Rat
Morakinyo A. O1, Adeniyi O. S2 and Arikawe A. P1
1

Department of Physiology,
College of Medicine, University of Lagos, Lagos, Nigeria.

Full-text available at
http://www.ajbrui.com
http://www.bioline.br/md
http://www.ajol.com

2

Department of Physiology, College of Health Sciences,
Benue State University, Markurdi, Nigeria.

ABSTRACT

Received:February 2008
Accepted (Revised):August 2008
Published
September 2008

To investigate the effects of Zingiber Officinale on male reproductivefunctions and study the mechanisms underlying these effects, aqueous extractof Zingiber Officinale were administered orally to two groups of male rats at
500mg/kg b.w. and 1000mg/kg b.w. A third group served as control andreceived the treatment vehicle, distilled water. Treatment lasted for 14 and 28
days before sacrifice. Organ weight, epididymal sperm counts, motility,viability and morphology, seminal fructose, testicular malonhydialdehyde,
and serum testosterone were determined. The treatment caused a significant
increase (P<0.05) in the weight of the testis and epididymis. There were doseand duration dependent increases in sperm count and motility (P<0.05). There
was also a significant increase (P<0.05) in serum testosterone level.
Malonhydialdehyde levels were significantly reduced (P<0.05). Our results
indicated that extract of Zingiber Officinale possesses pro-fertility properties
in male rats which might be a product of both its potent antioxidant properties
and androgenic activities.
(Afr. J. Biomed. Res. 11: 329 - 334 )Key Words: Zingiber Officinale, testosterone, androgenic, malonhydialdehyde and sperm.

*Address for Correspondence : morakinyofemi@yahoo.com,
Phone: +2348037127147, +234017202031

Abstracted by:
African Index Medicus (WHO), CAB Abstracts, Index Copernicus, Global Health Abstracts, Asian Science Index, Index
Veterinarius, Bioline International , African Journals online

African Journal of Biomedical Research 2008 (Vol. 11) / Morakinyo, Adeniyi and Arikawe

INTRODUCTION
Zingiber Officinale commonly called ginger
belongs to the family Zingiberaceae. The plant is aknotted, thick, beige underground stem (rhizome)that has been used in traditional medicine to aid
digestion and treat stomach upset, diarrhea,nausea, and arthritis for centuries. In addition tothese medicinal uses, ginger continues to bevalued around the world as an important cooking
spice and is believed to help the common cold, flulike symptoms, headaches, and even painful
menstrual periods. Today, ginger root is widelyused as a digestive aid for mild stomach upset andis commonly recommended by health care
professionals to help prevent or treat nausea andvomiting associated with motion sickness,pregnancy, and cancer chemotherapy (Bone et al,1990; Grontved et al, 1988; Sripramote et al,2003). Ginger is used as support in inflammatory
conditions such as arthritis (Altman et al, 2001),
and may even be used in heart disease (Bhandariet al, 1998) or cancer (Katiyar et al, 1996). The
important active components of the ginger root arethought to be volatile oils and pungent phenol
compounds such as gingerols, shogaols, zingerone,and gingerols (Sekiwa et al, 2000; Zancar et al,2002). Although the beneficial effect of ginger hasbeen exploited, little research has been conducted
on its activity on male reproductive functions
except a study that reported that Z. Officinale
possess androgenic property (Kamtchouing et al,2002). This work was therefore carried out in viewof the paucity of literature on the action of Z.
Officinale extract on reproductive functions andantioxidant activities in male rats.

MATERIALS AND METHODS
Animals: Adults male rats weighing between 140160g were maintained in a well ventilated animal
house under standard condition of humidity,temperature and a constant 12 hour light:12 hourdark lighting schedule. The animals were housedin clear polypropylene cages lined with wood chipbeddings. They were fed with standard pellet diet(Livestock Feeds, Ikeja, Lagos) and water was

330

made available at all times. The health andreproductive status of the animals were assessedand only healthy animals were selected for theexperiment.
Extraction of plant material
The Z. Officinale rhizome was purchased fromlocal commercial sources and shade dried at room
temperature before being pulverized with anelectric grinder. The extracts were then obtainedby maceration method with distilled water for
48hours to obtain a final aqueous concentration of1g/ml.
Experimental Design
Thirty six adult male rats were randomly divided
into 3 groups of 12 animals each. Group 1 (controlgroup) was administered with the vehicle (distilledwater) while groups 2 and 3 were given anaqueous suspension of Z. Officinale at 500mg/kg
and 1000mg/kg. Six rats from each experimentalgroup were randomly sacrificed after 14 days ofextract administration while the remaining rats
were allowed up to 28 days before sacrifice.
Treatment was done daily using oral dosing needle
and twenty four hours after the last dose, blood
was collected and the animals were sacrificed.
Sperm Function Analysis: The rats weresacrificed after the last day of administration andweighed for the essential reproductive organs,such as testis, caudal epididymis, seminal vesicle
and prostate glands. The spermatozoa wereobtained by making a small incision (1ml) in thecaudal epididymis and evaluated for sperm count,motility, viability and morphology. The sperm
count was determined with an improved Neubauer
haemocytometer and viability was assessed byeosin-nigrosin dye exclusion test. Epididymal
sperm motility was assessed by calculating motile
spermatozoa per unit area and was expressed aspercent motility. Sperm morphology was doneusing the Wall and Ewas stain and examined underthe microscope as described earlier in literatures.
Malonhydialdehyde Estimation
This was measured as an indicator of lipid
peroxidation and by extension reactive oxygen

Reproductive Effects of Zingiber Officinale

African Journal of Biomedical Research 2008 (Vol. 11) / Morakinyo, Adeniyi and Arikawe

species. Testes homogenate prepared was placedin micro-centrifuge tube and incubated with
thiobarbituric acid (TBA). Following theincubation, samples were centrifuged (2 000 rpm,10 min) and the absorbance of the pink clear
supernatant was measured at = 532 nm in
duplicate samples. Malonhydialdehyde bis(dimethyl acetal) was used as the externalstandard.

Fructose Measurement
Seminal fructose was determined according toaccording to a WHO manual protocol. Briefly,
seminal plasma is deproteinized with zinc
sulfate and barium hydroxide. The
deproteinized seminal plasma is then reactedwith acidic resorcinol to form a coloredproduct. The absorbance is read at 410nm.
Testosterone Assay
Blood samples were spun at 2500rpm for 10
minutes in a table top centrifuge. The serum
samples obtained were analyzed to determine theconcentration of testosterone. The analysis wascarried via the tube-based enzyme immunoassay(EIA) method. The protocol used for the hormone
was according to the method described for the kit(Immunometrics Limited UK) and meet the WHO
standards in research programme for humanreproduction.

treatment showed a significant weight increase(P<0.05) compared with the control (Table 1).
Table 1: Effects of Z. Officinale on weight of the testis,
epididymis, prostate and seminal vesicle after 14 daysand 28 days treatment.
GroupsTestis Epidid.
Prostate Seminal
Vesicle14 Days
1.47
0.43
0.27
0.52
Control
±0.06
±0.02
±0.05
±0.04
1.58
0.43
0.27
0.51
500mg/kg±0.02* ±0.03
±0.02
±0.01
0.44
0.29
0.52
1000mg/kg 1.63
±0.03* ±0.03
±0.03
±0.02
28 Days
1.73
0.48
0.28
0.55
Control
±0.05
±0.02
±0.03
±0.04
1.850.490.30
0.55500mg/kg±0.06* ±0.03
±0.01
±0.03
0.53
0.29
0.56
1000mg/kg 1.88
±0.03* ±0.02*
0.03
±0.04
*P<0.05, values expressed as mean±sem, n= 6, weight unit ingrams. Epidyd = epididymis

Table 2: Effects of Z. Officinale on sperm count,motility, viability and abnormal morphology after 14days and 28 days treatment.
Groups14 Days
Control
500mg/kg

Statistical Analysis
Data are expressed as mean ± SEM and analysedusing the Student’s t-test and ANOVA wherenecessary. P < 0.05 was accepted as significant.

1000mg/kg28 Days
Control
500mg/kg

RESULTS

1000mg/kg

Effects of Z. Officinale on body and organ
weight – Administration of Z. Officinale caused
no changes in the weight of the seminal vesicle
and prostate gland. However, testicular weight wasincreased significantly (P<0.05) after 14 and 28
days treatment in a dose and duration dependent
manner when compared with the controls. In
exception to the epididymal weights of othergroups, the 1000mg/kg group of the 28 days

Count(106/ml)

Mot(%)

Viab(%)

AbnormalMorphology

8.10
±0.14
8.93
±0.72
9.08
±0.17*

85.40
±1.07
89.50
±2.14*
91.70±1.68*

96.00
±1.52
95.20
±1.77
95.70
±1.45

2.18
±0.38
2.23
±0.24
2.17
±0.47

8.17
±0.25
9.26
±0.28*
9.53±0.42*

84.60
±1.31
89.40
±2.23*
92.50±1.84*

93.80
±1.72
95.30
±2.11
95.50
±1.87

2.63
±0.41
2.59
±0.36
2.67
±0.33

*P<0.05, values expressed as mean±sem, n= 6, abnormal
morphology in %. Mot= motility; viab = viability

Effects of Z. Officinale on sperm function –Caudal epididymal sperm count and motility weresignificantly increased (P<0.05) after 14 and 28
days treatment in a dose and duration dependent
manner compared with the controls. There were no

Reproductive Effects of Zingiber Officinale

331

African Journal of Biomedical Research 2008 (Vol. 11) / Morakinyo, Adeniyi and Arikawe

differences in other sperm parameters of viabilityand morphology compared with controls (Table2).
Effects of Z. Officinale on malonhydialdehyde
estimation – Treatment with Z. Officinale
significantly decreases (P<0.05) the levels ofmalonhydialdehyde in the experimental rats in adose and duration dependent manner as comparedwith the control. This reduction was highest for
the group 3 (1000mg/kg) in the 28 days and lowest
for the group 2 (500mg/kg) 14 days treatment
regimen (Fig. 1).
Effects of Z. Officinale on fructose levels – Z.
Officinale caused no significant changes in thefructose level in the experimental rats after 14days and 28 days administration (Table 3).
Effects of Z. Officinale on serum testosterone
levels – There were dose and duration dependent
increases in the serum testosterone levels in the Z.
Officinale administered rats compared with thecontrols (Fig. 2).
Table 3:
Effects of Z. Officinale on seminal fructose level after
14 days and 28 days treatment.
GroupsControl
500mg/kg
1000mg/kg
14 Days4.50±0.84

4.61±0.53

4.56±0.67

28 Days4.72±0.64

4.60±0.79

4.67±0.53*P<0.05, values expressed as mean±sem, n= 6, fructose
level units in µmol/g.

Figure 1:
Effects of Z. Officinale on malondialhyde levels in rats after 14 days and 28 days treatment

332

Reproductive Effects of Zingiber Officinale

African Journal of Biomedical Research 2008 (Vol. 11) / Morakinyo, Adeniyi and ArikaweFigure 2: Effects of Z. Officinale on serum testosterone levels in rats after 14 days and 28 days treatment.

DISCUSSION
The results of the present study suggested that
Zingiber Officinale have a beneficial effect onmale reproductive functions in rats. These data are
confirmed by our observation on the increased
sperm counts, motility, testosterone, and decrease
malonhydialdehyde levels. The significant
increase in the absolute weight of the testis andepididymis could therefore be due to increased
androgen biosynthesis as evidenced by asignificant increase in serum testosterone levels in
the experimental rats. Androgens have been shown
to be necessary for the development, growth andnormal functioning of the testes and maleaccessory reproductive glands and studies haveshown that the level is positively correlated withthe weight of testis, epididymis, seminal vesicle
and prostate glands (Setty et al, 1997; Prins et al,1991). This increased reproductive organ weight isequally consistent with the report of Kamtchouing
et al who observed an increase in the testicularweight of rats treated with Z. Officinale for 8 days
with a concomitant increase in testosterone level.
Moreover, an effect due to testosterone changes
alone should have led to an increase in the weightof all accessory organs; it is therefore plausiblethat the increased weight of the testis andepididymis reflects a dual effect of increased
testosterone levels and sperm contained in theseorgans.
The observed increase in the sperm functionsin the Z. Officinale administered rat could be
attributed
tofavourableandincreased
spermatogenic activities as results of hightestosterone levels. Testosterone is known to be
critically involved in the development of spermcells and derangement results widely in leydig cell
dysfunction and testicular steroidogenic disorder(Zhang et al, 2001). It is known that a major
function of the epididymis is sperm maturation
which leads to the acquisition of fertilizing

ability and viability of spermatozoa.
Therefore, improvement in the activities of theepididymis could have led to an increase inprogressive motility of sperm in theexperimental rats. The increased sperm countand motility thereby shows that treatment withZ. Officinale improves and enhances thefertilizing capacity of the Semen. Thesequalities were often used as a measure ofsperm production, testicular function and/ ormale fertility. Low sperm count and motility

Reproductive Effects of Zingiber Officinale333

African Journal of Biomedical Research 2008 (Vol. 11) / Morakinyo, Adeniyi and Arikawe

and high percentage abnormal spermatozoa
level each have been associated with reduced
fertility (Raji et al 2003, Adeeko and Dada
1998).
Another explanation for these improved
testicular/sperm function in this study is thereduced level of malondialdehyde, the mostabundant individual aldehyde resulting fromlipid peroxidation breakdown in biologicalsystems. Malondialdehyde is an indirectindicator of reactive oxygen species, ROS,
which has potential toxic effects on sperm
quality and function (Sharma and Agarwal,1996; Sikka et al, 1995). For instance,
Agarwal and co-workers (1994) reported that
increased formation of ROS is correlated withthe reduction of sperm motility. In the light of
the above, Z. Officinale seems to confer aprotective antioxidant defence capacity on thetreated rats as evidenced by a significant
reduction in the level of malondialdehyde.
In conclusion, the extract of Zingiber
Officinale might be said to have pro-fertility
properties in male rats which might be aconsequence of both its potent antioxidant
properties and androgenic activities.
REFERENCES
Adeeko, A.O. and Dada, O.A. (1998). Chloroquine
reduces the fertilizing capacity of epididymal sperm inrats. Afri. J. Med. Med. Sci.27, 63 -68.
Agarwal A, Ikemoto I, Loughlin KR. (1994).
Relationship of sperm parameters to levels of reactive
oxygen species in semen specimens. J Urol. 152: 10710.
Altman RD, Marcussen KC. (2001). Effects of aginger extract on knee pain in patients withosteoarthritis. Arthritis Rheum. 44(11):2531-2538.
Bhandari U, Sharma JN, Zafar R. (1998). The
protective action of ethanolic ginger (ZingiberOfficinale) extract in cholesterol fed rabbits. J.
Ethnopharmacol. 61:167-171.

334

Bone ME, Wilkinson DJ, Young JR, McNeil J,Charlton S. (1990). Ginger root, a new antiemetic. The
effect of ginger root on postoperative nausea andvomiting after major gynaecological surgery.
Anaesthesia. 45(8): 669-71.
Grontved A, Brask T, Kambskard J, Hentzer E.
(1988). Ginger root against seasickness: a controlled
trial on the open sea. Acta Otolaryngol.105: 45-49.
Kamtchouing P, Fandio GYM, Dimo T, Jatsa HB.
(2002). Evaluation of androgenic activity of Zingiber
officinale and pentadiplandra brazzeana in male rats.
Asian J Androl. 4:299-301.
Katiyar SK, Agarwal R, Mukhtar H. (1996).
Inhibition of tumor promotion in SENCAR mouse skinby ethanolextract of Zingiber officinale rhizome.
Cancer Res. 56:1023-1030.
Meistrich ML, Samuels RC. (1985). Reduction insperm levels after testicular irradiation of the mouse: acomparison with man. Radiat Res. 102: 138–47.
Prins SG, Birch L, Greene GL. (1991). Androgen
receptor localization in different cell types of the adultrat prostate. Endocrinology. 129: 3187–99.
Raji Y, Udoh US, Mewoyaka OO, Ononye FC,
Bolarinwa AF. (2003) Implication of reproductive
endocrine malfunction in male antifertility efficacy ofAzadirachta indica extract in rats. Afri. J. Med.Med.Sci
32:159-165.
Sekiwa Y, Kubota K, Kobayashi A. (2000). Isolationof novel glucosides related to gingerdiol from ginger
and their antioxidative activities. J.Agric.Food Chem.
48:373-377.
Setty BS, Riar SS, Kar AB. (1977). Androgenic
control of epididymal function in rhesus monkey andrabbit. Fert Steril. 22:674–81.
Sharma RK, Agarwal A. (1996). Role of reactive
oxygen species in male infertility. Urology. 48: 835-50.
Sikka SC, Rajasekaran M, Hellstrom WJG. (1995).
Role of oxidative stress and antioxidants in maleinfertility. J Androl.16: 464-8.
Sripramote M, Lekhyananda N. (2003). A
randomized comparison of ginger and vitamin B6 in thetreatment of nausea and vomiting of pregnancy. J Med
Assoc Thai 2003; 86(9): 846-853.
Zancan KC, Marques MO, Petenate AJ, Meireles
MA. (2002). Extraction of ginger (Zingiber officinale
Roscoe) oleoresin with CO2 and co-solvents: a study oftheantioxidantactionoftheextracts.
J.Supercrit.Flu.24:57-76.
Zhang X, Yamamoto N, Soramoto S, Takenaka I.
(2001). Cisplatin-induced germ cell apoptosis in mousetestes. Arch Androl. 46:43-49

Reproductive Effects of Zingiber Officinale