Produksi testosteron mencit (Mus musculus L.) setelah pemberian ekstrak kuda laut (Hippocampus kuda Bleeker 1852)

FITRIA, Laksmindra, Drs. Suharno, SU

2007 | Tesis | S2 Biologi

Kuda laut (Hippocampus kuda Bleeker 1852) dipercaya sebagai obat yang mujarab untuk menyembuhkan berbagai penyakit di samping untuk menjaga kesehatan. Namun demikian, penggunaannya masih berdasarkan mitos belaka tanpa adanya kajian secara ilmiah. Berkaitan dengan kepercayaan bahwa kuda laut merupakan afrodisiak yang ampuh, beberapa percobaan telah dilakukan. Penelitian menunjukkan bahwa kuda laut meningkatkan efisiensi spermatogenesis dan memperbaiki kualitas spermatozoa mencit. Agresivitas yang menunjukkan tingginya kadar testosteron juga diamati. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mempelajari produksi testosteron mencit setelah pemberian ekstrak kuda laut. Kuda laut diekstraksi sesuai metode maserasi untuk memperoleh fraksi protein dan fraksi lemak, dibuat dosis 100; 200; 300 mg/kg bb, kemudian dan diberikan per oral 0,5 mL/hari selama 34 dan 67 hari. Tujuh puluh ekor mencit (Mus musculus L. Balb/C) jantan perawan usia dua bulan dibagi menjadi tujuh bagian: tiga kelompok diberi ekstrak protein, tiga kelompok lain diberi ekstrak lemak, satu kelompok untuk kontrol (placebo). Pengamatan meliputi kadar testosteron total, rasio berat testis dan kelenjar-kelenjar seks asesoris terhadap berat badan, morfometri sel Leydig, perkembangan berat badan, dan perilaku. Data kuantitatif dianalisis menggunakan SPSS® v.12.0. Hasil menunjukkan bahwa ekstrak lemak lebih efektif dalam meningkatkan kadar testosteron daripada ekstrak protein (berbeda nyata). Peningkatan produksi testosteron terjadi karena pertambahan jumlah sel daripada pertambahan ukuran (tidak berbeda nyata). Ekstrak protein diduga bekerja pada hipotalamus/hipofisis, sedangkan ekstrak lemak diduga mengandung bahan-bahan yang merupakan prekursor dalam biosintesis testosteron. Kadar testosteron yang tinggi setelah perlakuan jangka pendek memicu mekanisme umpan balik negatif terhadap aksis HPT, mengakibatkan penurunan kadar hormon pada perlakuan jangka panjang. Peningkatan berat badan yang terjadi selama perlakuan ekstrak kuda laut kemungkinan disebabkan oleh kelebihan lemak tubuh dan efek anabolik/miotropik testosteron.

Chinese seahorse (Hippocampus kuda Bleeker 1852) is believed as a very effective drug to combat kinds of diseases as well as to maintain body health. Yet the use of seahorse has only based on myth without scientific evidence. In view of the traditional belief that seahorse is a potential aphrodisiac, several experiments were employed. Previous studies revealed that seahorse improved the efficiency of spermatogenesis and enhanced the quality of spermatozoa in mice. Aggressiveness as an indicator of high testosterone level was also reported. This research was carried out to study testosterone production in mice after administration of seahorse extract. Seahorses were processed by maceration method to obtain aqueous and ethanolic fractions, arranged for doses 100; 200; 300 mg/kg bw, then administered orally 0.5 mL/day for 34 and 67 days. Seventy eight-week-old virgin male mice (Mus musculus L. Balb/C) were divided into seven groups: three groups received aqueous extract; three other groups received ethanolic extract; one group for control (placebo). Assessment included total testosterone level, ratio for testis and accessory sex glands towards body weight, Leydig cells morphometry, body weight progression, and behavior. Quantitative data were analyzed statistically by SPSS® v12.0. Results showed that ethanolic extract was more effective to increase testosterone level rather than aqueous extract (significantly different). Testosterone production was explained by variation in cell number rather than cell size (not significantly different). It is suggested that aqueous extract affects on hypothalamus/ pituitary, whereas ethanolic extract contains substance(s) as precursor(s) in testosterone biosynthesis. High level of testosterone in short-term administration triggers negative feedback mechanism towards HPT axis, results in lowering hormone level in long-term administration. The increasing body weight during administration of seahorse extract could be generated from excessive fatty substances and the anabolic/myotropic effect of testosterone.

Kata Kunci : Kuda Laut,Afrodisiak,Testosteron, seahorse, aphrodisiac, testosterone, Leydig cell, HPT axis