The effects of dietary restriction and administration of β‐glucan from Euglena gracilis Euglena gracilis on the sperm characteristics and reproductive organs of rats

摘要

Abstract The aim of this study was to demonstrate the possible individual and/or synergistic effects of β‐glucan and dietary restrictions on the reproductive parameters of rats. For this purpose, forty male Sprague‐Dawley rats were randomly divided into four equal groups ( n ?=?10 per group). The first group was the control, the second group was kept under dietary restriction (DR), the third group was kept under a dietary restriction and given β‐glucan (DR?+?βG) and the fourth group was supplemented only with β‐glucan (βG; 20?mg/kg) intragastrically for 14?days. Motility, vitality and morphology of spermatozoa, reproductive organ weights (testis, vesicula seminalis and epididymis) and seminiferous tubule diameters were evaluated in experimental rats. β‐glucan had excellent effects on motility, live spermatozoa rate and the acrosome integrity when compared to the control group ( p ??0.05). We also observed that β‐glucan administration to rats having dietary restriction could improve sperm motility and acrosome integrity ( p ??0.05). While the β‐glucan improved seminiferous tubule diameter ( p ??0.05), weights of the reproductive organs did not change positively as a result. This study demonstrated that β‐glucan treatment significantly improved some spermatological characteristics in rats. Therefore, treatment with β‐glucan could be used for its positive effects on motility, spermatozoa vitality rate and acrosome integrity for infertile men.