Effect of soybean on fertility of male and female albino rats

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate whether consumption of soybean is useful or harmful on reproductive hormones; ovary; uterus; mammary gland; testis and subsequent fertility. In the former experiment, male and female Wister albino rats were used in the present study. Each sex was randomly divided into 4 groups, control group fed on the basal diet (AIN93 G), three treated groups given 30, 60 and 90 gm cooked soybeans/70 kg human body weight (b.w.) for three months. Female rats showed that soybean significantly decreased free estradiol hormone (E2); progesterone hormone; follicle stimulating hormone (FSH); luteinizing hormone (LH); ovary weight and number of ovarian follicles. On the other hand soybean significantly increased total E2; sex hormone binding proteins (SHBP); uterus weight and caused uterus proliferation and cystic hyperplasia. The mammary gland showed gradual hyperplasia and mammary ducts showed proliferation. In male rats soybean significantly decreased free testosterone hormone; LH and FSH, meanwhile total testosterone hormone, SHBP, testes weight and testes diameter were significantly increased accompanied with spermatogenesis arrest.