Aashish Kumar Netam - Department of Zoology, Indira Gandhi National Tribal University, Amarkantak, Madhya Pradesh, India.
Vikas Pankaj Bhargava - Department of Zoology, Indira Gandhi National Tribal University, Amarkantak, Madhya Pradesh, India.
Rambir Singh - Department of Horticulture, Aromatic and Medicinal Plants, Mizoram University, Aizawl, Mizoram, India.
Poonam Sharma - Department of Zoology, Indira Gandhi National Tribal University, Amarkantak, Madhya Pradesh, India.

Background: The male reproductive system undergoes several adverse age-related changes like decreased hormone synthesis, sperm count, and testicular alteration that can impact on fertility. Objective: The study aims to investigate the effects of testosterone propionate (TP), and ayurvedic formulation Swarna Bhasma (SB) on D-galactose (D-gal) induced reproductive aging in male Wistar rats. Materials and Methods: ۶۰ male Wistar rats were divided into ۱۰ groups of ۶ animals. Reproductive aging was induced by D-gal (۱۵۰ mg/kg Bwt) exposure for ۶۰ days. The rats were then treated by post and combination treatment with TP (۲ mg/kg Bwt) and SB (۶.۷۵ mg/kg Bwt). Then sperm parameters, reproductive hormones, inflammatory markers, testicular antioxidant enzymes, steroidogenic enzymes, and histological manifestation of testis were evaluated. Results: Exposure of D-gal caused significant (p < ۰.۰۰۱) decrease in serum testosterone (T), testicular steroidogenic, and antioxidant enzymes. Administration of TP increased the serum T level, testicular antioxidant enzymes, and spermatogenic profile at a significant level of (p < ۰.۰۰۱) compared to D-gal. Further, the SB treatment significantly (p < ۰.۰۰۱) elevated the serum T level, sperm count, testicular antioxidant enzymes, steroidogenic enzymes, when compared to D-gal. Conclusion: Both the treatment of TP and SB treatments recovered the reproductive impairments caused by D-gal. However, exogenous T supplementation via TP administration is associated with various side effects during long-term use. SB is an Ayurvedic formulation having a long history of usage in India. The current findings suggest that the SB may be used as a good alternative for potentiating reproductive function in aging males.

D-galactose, Aging, Testosterone propionate, Swarna Bhasma, Testis, Hypogonadism, infertility., دی گالاکتوز, پیری, تستوسترون پروپیونات, Swarna Bhasma, بیضه, هیپوگنادیسم, ناباروری.