Evaluating the Effects of Young Areca catechu Seed Extract on FSH and Testosterone Levels in Male Rats: Insights into Natural Anti-Fertility Agents

Noviyanti Noviyanti; Sugito Sugito; Muslim Akmal; Nurdin Saidi

doi:10.60084/mp.v4i1.338

Authors

Noviyanti Noviyanti Graduate School of Mathematics and Applied Sciences, Universitas Syiah Kuala, Banda Aceh 23111, Indonesia; Department of Midwifery, Polytechnic of Health Ministry of Health, Aceh Besar 23352, Indonesia
Sugito Sugito Laboratory of Histology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universitas, Syiah Kuala, Banda Aceh 2311, Indonesia
Muslim Akmal Laboratory of Histology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universitas, Syiah Kuala, Banda Aceh 2311, Indonesia
Nurdin Saidi Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Universitas Syiah Kuala, Banda Aceh 2311, Aceh, Indonesia

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.60084/mp.v4i1.338

Keywords:

Follicle-stimulating hormone, Testosterone, Areca nut

Abstract

Male participation in contraception remains limited worldwide because few safe and acceptable male contraceptive options exist. Natural products are being explored as potential regulators of male reproductive hormones. Areca catechu (areca nut), traditionally used in Southeast Asia, contains phytochemicals that may influence reproductive function. This study evaluated the effects of the ethanolic extract of young A. catechu seeds on serum follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and testosterone levels in male Wistar rats. Twenty-five rats were randomly assigned to five groups (0, 20, 40, 60, and 80 mg/kgbody weight) and treated daily for 48 days. Serum FSH and testosterone were measured by ELISA and analyzed by one-way ANOVA with Duncan’s post-hoc test. Mean FSH and testosterone values varied across doses, with the 40 mg/kg group showing the highest means (10.001 ± 10.413 ng/mL and 2.196 ± 1.254 ng/mL, respectively), but no statistically significant differences were detected for either hormone (FSH p = 0.043; testosterone p = 0.425). The results provide preliminary, hypothesis-generating evidence that the extract may influence the hypothalamic–pituitary–gonadal axis; however, any role in male fertility regulation remains unproven. Larger studies including sperm-quality assessment, mechanistic analyses, and toxicological evaluation are required before considering potential applications in male reproductive health.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Nguyen, B. T. (2024). Male Contraceptive Acceptability versus Male Acceptance of Contraceptive Responsibility, Andrology, Vol. 12, No. 7, 1585–1589. doi:10.1111/andr.13719.
Affairs, U. N. D. of E. and S. (2024). World Population Prospects 2024: Summary of Results, United Nations.
Ekaputri, H. Z., TW, Sari, I. P., and Rizal, D. M. (2018). The Effect of Ethanol Extract of Piper Nigrum L. Fruit on Reproductive System in Adult Male Wistar Rats: A Study of FSH, LH, Testosterone Level and Spermatogenic Cells, Indonesian Journal of Pharmacy, Vol. 29, No. 3, 136–144. doi:10.14499/indonesianjpharm29iss3pp136.
Altınterim, B. (2014). Effects Of Herbs On Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Gonadal Axis (HPG) And Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal (HPA) Axis, Acıbadem University of Health Science, Vol. 5, No. 3, 179–181. doi:10.13140/2.1.3028.4488.
Wijaya, P., Tallei, T. E., Tendean, L. E. N., Fatimawali, F., Turalaki, G. L. A., and Purwanto, D. S. (2025). Network Pharmacology Insights into Broccoli Microgreens for Prostate Cancer, Heca Journal of Applied Sciences, Vol. 3, No. 1, 1–16. doi:10.60084/hjas.v3i1.264.
Adeniyi, I. A., Onaadepo, O., Owu, D., Jama, I. A., Oviosun, A., Etukudo, E. M., Owembabazi, E., Anyanwu, E., Aja, P. M., Ifie, J., Aigbogun, E., Makena, W., Omoola, O. O., Usman, C. O., and Usman, I. M. (2025). Exploring the Male Fertility Potential of Medicinal Plants from Central and West African Countries: A Systematic Review, Phytomedicine Plus, Vol. 5, No. 2, 100786. doi:10.1016/j.phyplu.2025.100786.
Khalaf, R. R., Khazaal, S., Abouzeinab, N. S., and Khalil, M. I. (2024). Evaluation of Selected Folk Herbs on the Fertility of Sprague Dawley Male Rats: Biochemical, Histological, and Molecular Investigations, Life, Vol. 14, No. 12, 1620. doi:10.3390/life14121620.
Wang, S.-W., Hwang, G.-S., Chen, T.-J., and Wang, P. S. (2008). Effects of Arecoline on Testosterone Release in Rats, American Journal of Physiology-Endocrinology and Metabolism, Vol. 295, No. 2, E497–E504. doi:10.1152/ajpendo.00045.2008.
Hazra, S., Pal, D., Mondal, T., Das, S., and Ghosh, D. (2024). Pre-Clinical Study of Hydro-Ethanol (60:40) Extract of Areca Catechu (L.) on Testicular Androgenesis in Albino Rat: An Approach for Herbal Male Contraceptive Development, International Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Drug Research, 746–756. doi:10.25004/IJPSDR.2024.160501.
Kafle, S., Shanbhag, T., Shenoy, S., Amuthan, A., Prabhu, K., Mohan, S., Somayaji, S. N., and Shrestha, J. (2011). Antifertility Effect of Areca Catechu in Male Albino Rats, Int J Pharm Sci Rev Res, Vol. 10, No. 1, 79–82.
Hazra, S., Pal, D., Das, P., Mitra, D., Mondal, T., and Ghosh, D. (2024). Pre-Clinical Study on Hypo-Testicular Activity of Hydro-Ethanol (60:40) Extract of Areca Catechu (L.) in Albino Rat: Dose-Dependent Response, International Journal of Ayurvedic Medicine, Vol. 15, No. 2, 480–489. doi:10.47552/ijam.v15i2.4669.
Oduwole, O. O., Peltoketo, H., and Huhtaniemi, I. T. (2018). Role of Follicle-Stimulating Hormone in Spermatogenesis, Frontiers in Endocrinology, Vol. 9. doi:10.3389/fendo.2018.00763.
Harborne, J. B. (1987). Phytochemical Methods: A Guide to Modern Techniques of Plant Analysis.
Clermont, Y., and Perey, B. (1957). Quantitative Study of the Cell Population of the Seminiferous Tubules in Immature Rats, American Journal of Anatomy, Vol. 100, No. 2, 241–267. doi:10.1002/aja.1001000205.
Rahman, A. O., Purwakanthi, A., and Dewi, H. (2020). Antifertility Effect of Betel Nut (Areca Catechu L) in Male Rat, MEDISAINS, Vol. 18, No. 2, 52. doi:10.30595/medisains.v18i2.7588.
Akmal, M., and Mahdi, C. (2010). The Increased of Testosterone Concentration of Rat That Treatment by Water Extract of Betel Nut, Jurnal Veteriner, Vol. 11, No. 4, 244–250.
Sun, H., Yu, W., Li, H., Hu, X., and Wang, X. (2024). Bioactive Components of Areca Nut: An Overview of Their Positive Impacts Targeting Different Organs, Nutrients, Vol. 16, No. 5, 695. doi:10.3390/nu16050695.
Martin, L. J., and Touaibia, M. (2020). Improvement of Testicular Steroidogenesis Using Flavonoids and Isoflavonoids for Prevention of Late-Onset Male Hypogonadism, Antioxidants, Vol. 9, No. 3, 237. doi:10.3390/antiox9030237.
D’Arrigo, G., Gianquinto, E., Rossetti, G., Cruciani, G., Lorenzetti, S., and Spyrakis, F. (2021). Binding of Androgen- and Estrogen-Like Flavonoids to Their Cognate (Non)Nuclear Receptors: A Comparison by Computational Prediction, Molecules, Vol. 26, No. 6, 1613. doi:10.3390/molecules26061613.