Effects of tribulus terrestris on sertoli cells of prepubertal albino rats

Spermatogenesis depends on various hormones which include androgens. androgens are essential for the multiplication and maturation of germ cells and also for somatic cells including sertoli cells. sertoli cells have fsh and androgen receptors; fsh and androgens act on sertoli cells to produce factors which are essential for the development of germ cells. tribulus terrestris is suggested to increase testosterone and in the sertoli cells testosterone mediates androgen receptor transcription and also increases intracellular calcium concentration. thus,the objective of this study was to determine the effect of tribulus terrestris on sertoli cells using prepubertal rats as an experimental animal. male rat pups were divided randomly into two groups consisting of 10 rats each. group 2 served as experimental and was given tribulus terrestris extract at a dose of 70mg/kg orally. administration of tribulus terrestris extract was started when pups were 14 days old and continued for 20 days. group 1 served as control and was administered with equal amounts of distilled water. after sacrificing the pups,their testes were taken out of the body cavity,fixed,processed and then embedded in paraffin. 4 micrometer thick sections were then made using microtome. sertoli cells were counted in cross sections of seminiferous tubules under x400 magnification. experimental animals showed statistically significant increase in number of sertoli cells as compared to control group.