{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,11]],"date-time":"2026-08-11T17:47:58Z","timestamp":1786470478282,"version":"build-2736575974"},"reference-count":58,"publisher":"Public Library of Science (PLoS)","issue":"8","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,11]],"date-time":"2026-08-11T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1786406400000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"http:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["www.plosone.org"],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["PLoS One"],"abstract":"<jats:p>\n                    The potential of\n                    <jats:italic>Carissa spinarum<\/jats:italic>\n                    in treatment of male infertility arising from oxidative stress remains obscure, despite its traditional use in the management of male infertility. This study evaluated the phytochemical profile and\n                    <jats:italic>in vivo<\/jats:italic>\n                    protective activities of\n                    <jats:italic>C. spinarum<\/jats:italic>\n                    extracts against oxidative stress-induced infertility in adult male Wistar rats. Root and leaf samples were extracted using solvents with different polarities, and the phytochemicals and antioxidant activities were determined. For\n                    <jats:italic>in vivo<\/jats:italic>\n                    studies, male Wistar rats were divided into six groups (n\u2009=\u20095). Group 1 (control), group 2 (metronidazole), group 3 (metronidazole and 250 mg\/kg aqueous root extract, group 4 (metronidazole and 500 mg\/kg aqueous root extract), group 5 (metronidazole and 1000 mg\/kg aqueous root extract) and group 6 (metronidazole\u2009+\u2009vitamin E\u2009+\u2009Sustanon). The epididymis was harvested for sperm characteristics, and the testes for histology and biochemical assays. There were significantly higher (p\u2009&lt;\u20090.05) phytochemicals and antioxidant activities in the leaves than the roots for all the solvents tested, except hexane. For\n                    <jats:italic>in vivo<\/jats:italic>\n                    studies, rats fed on aqueous root extracts at 500 mg\/kg body weight (BW) showed a significant (p\u2009&lt;\u20090.05) increase in testicular weight index (0.98%), sperm count (37.28\u2009\u00d7\u200910^6\/mL), normal sperm morphology (60.50%), catalase (14.56\u2009\u00d7\u200910\n                    <jats:sup>\u22122<\/jats:sup>\n                    nmol g\n                    <jats:sup>-1<\/jats:sup>\n                    testis tissue) and reduced lipid peroxidation (1.38\u2009\u00b1\u20090.14 nmoles\/g tissue), malondialdehyde content. Extracts at low and high doses showed a significant increase in viable sperm cells (88.50%) and peroxidase activity, respectively. The extracts at 250 and 500 mg\/kg BW ameliorated the effects of metronidazole on testicular histology. The study affirms the potential of\n                    <jats:italic>C. spinarum<\/jats:italic>\n                    aqueous root extracts in the management of male infertility caused by oxidative stress-related factors.\n                  <\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0355380","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,11]],"date-time":"2026-08-11T17:22:51Z","timestamp":1786468971000},"page":"e0355380","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1371\/journal.pone.corrections_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Carissa spinarum L. aqueous root extracts ameliorate oxidative stress-induced infertility in adult male Wistar rats"],"prefix":"10.1371","volume":"21","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-5161-0026","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Martin","family":"Ouma","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Albert 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