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Readable research linked to original sources
Browse normalized, publication-ready research with direct links to its evidence and source.
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Readable research linked to original sources
Browse normalized, publication-ready research with direct links to its evidence and source.
18 articles
Newest firstCannabis sativa, a species within the Cannabaceae family, produces a diverse range of phytochemicals, notably cannabinoids and terpenoids, with significant physiological and pharmacological relevance. Among its phytochemicals, Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD) are the most studied for their psychoactive and medicinal properties. However, emerging evidence indicates that chronic or excessive expos…
Open article record in new tab ↗The endocannabinoid system, including the CB1 and CB2 receptors, has been associated with the modulation of blood-brain barrier and gut barrier. Herein, using CB1 knock-out male mice, we studied the potential role of these receptors in maintenance of blood-testis barrier (BTB) integrity during the seminiferous epithelium remodelling phase (Stages VIII-XI), focusing on events responsive to CB1 and CB2 activity. Our…
Cannabis is one of the most studied psychoactive substances due to its increasing prevalence and evolving legal status. Of particular concern is the rising consumption among young individuals, where excessive use may disrupt reproductive processes and pose long-term health risks to offspring. This narrative review examines the effects of cannabis use on male and female reproductive health, including its impact on…
Purpose of review Infertility affects approximately 15% of couples, with male factors implicated in more than 50% of cases. Concerns over declining semen quality - evidenced by a more than 50% drop in sperm concentration over four decades - have triggered investigation into modifiable lifestyle and environmental factors. This review summarizes recent evidence on exposures that negatively impact male fertility. Rec…
Open article record in new tab ↗Although psychoactive drugs have their therapeutic values, they have been implicated in the pathogenesis of male infertility. This study highlights psychoactive drugs reported to impair male fertility, their impacts, and associated mechanisms. Published data from scholarly peer-reviewed journals were used for the present study. Papers were assessed through AJOL, DOAJ, Google Scholar, PubMed/PubMed Central, and Sco…
Open article record in new tab ↗The endocannabinoid system (ECS) is comprised of a set of lipid-derived messengers (the endocannabinoids, ECBs), proteins that control their production and degradation, and cell-surface cannabinoid (CB) receptors that transduce their actions. ECB molecules such as 2-arachidonoyl-sn-glycerol (2-AG) and anandamide (arachidonoyl ethanolamide) are produced on demand and deactivated through enzymatic actions tightly re…
Open article record in new tab ↗Amniotic membrane and amniotic fluid derived cells are regarded as a promising stem cell source for developing regenerative medicine techniques, although they have never been tested on male infertility diseases such as varicocele (VAR). The current study aimed to examine the effects of two distinct cell sources, human Amniotic Fluid Mesenchymal Stromal Cells (hAFMSCs) and amniotic epithelial cells (hAECs), on male…
Purpose While an increased risk of developing germ cell tumors has been established in regular cannabis consumers, there is conflicting evidence about an association between cannabis use and testosterone levels in those regular consumers. In this context, we aimed to determine whether Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD), the two major and best-studied cannabinoids present in cannabis, also the most…
Open article record in new tab ↗The objective of this work has been to characterize the estrogenic activity of bisphenol-A (BPA) and the adverse effects on the endocannabinoid system (ECS) in modulating germ cell progression. Male offspring exposed to BPA during the foetal-perinatal period at doses below the no-observed-adverse-effect-level were used to investigate the exposure effects in adulthood. Results showed that BPA accumulates specifical…
Aims To assess if marijuana consumption - prevalent among men of reproductive age and becoming widespread due to decriminalization - is associated with changes in semen parameters. Marijuana's active metabolite, tetrahydrocannabinol, can alter signaling pathways within spermatozoa, affecting spermatogenesis and fertility. Methods We prospectively evaluated semen analyses (SA) from men presenting for infertility ev…
Men consume the most nicotine and cannabis products but impacts on sperm epigenetics are poorly characterized. Evidence suggests that preconception exposure to these drugs alters offspring neurodevelopment. Epigenetics may in part facilitate heritability. We therefore compared effects of exposure to tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and nicotine on DNA methylation in rat sperm at genes involved in neurodevelopment. Reduc…
Open article record in new tab ↗Background The incidence of poor semen quality and sub-fertility/infertility is higher in crossbred as compared to Zebu males. Several attempts have been made to understand the possible reasons for higher incidence of fertility problems in crossbred males, at sperm phenotype, proteome and genome level but with variable results. Since the quality of the ejaculated spermatozoa is determined by the testicular environ…
Endocannabinoids are natural lipid molecules whose levels are regulated by specific biosynthetic and degradative enzymes. They bind to and activate two main cannabinoid receptors type 1 (CB1) and type 2 (CB2), and together with their metabolizing enzymes form the "endocannabinoid system" (ECS). In the last years, the relevance of endocannabinoids (eCBs) as critical modulators in various aspects of male reproductio…
Endocannabinoids are lipid mediators, enzymatically synthesized and hydrolyzed, that bind cannabinoid receptors. Together with their receptors and metabolic enzymes, they form the "endocannabinoid system" (ECS). Anandamide (AEA) and 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG) are the main endocannabinoids studied in testis. In this study, using the first wave of spermatogenesis as an in vivo model to verify the progressive appe…
Open article record in new tab ↗Endocannabinoids control male reproduction acting at central and local level via cannabinoid receptors. The cannabinoid receptor CB1 has been characterized in the testis, in somatic and germ cells of mammalian and non-mammalian animal models, and its activity related to Leydig cell differentiation, steroidogenesis, spermiogenesis, sperm quality, and maturation. In this short review, we provide a summary of the ins…
Open article record in new tab ↗Endocannabinoids (eCBs) are natural lipids regulating a large array of physiological functions and behaviors in vertebrates. The eCB system is highly conserved in evolution and comprises several specific receptors (type-1 and type-2 cannabinoid receptors), their endogenous ligands (e.g., anandamide and 2-arachidonoylglycerol), and a number of biosynthetic and degradative enzymes. In the last few years, eCBs have b…
Open article record in new tab ↗Spermatogenesis is a complex process in which male germ cells undergo a mitotic phase followed by meiosis and by a morphogenetic process to form mature spermatozoa. Spermatogenesis is under the control of gonadotropins, steroid hormones and it is modulated by a complex network of autocrine and paracrine factors. These modulators ensure the correct progression of germ cell differentiation to form mature spermatozoa…
Open article record in new tab ↗Objective:The present study was undertaken to evaluate the effects of alcohol extracts of Ruta graveolens and Cannabis sativa that were used traditionally in medieval Persian medicine as male contraceptive drugs, on spermatogenesis in the adult male rats.Materials and Methods:Ethanol extracts of these plants were obtained by the maceration method. The male rats were injected intraperitionaly with C. sativa and R.…