Anti-fertility Effect of the Anethum graveolens Extract Administration on the Male Reproductive Functions: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Abstract

Introduction: Recent studies reported that the aqueous extract of the dill (Anethum graveolens) seed has an adverse effect on male fertility by affecting serum testosterone level, sperm concentration as well as sperm motility. However, its evidence has not been established. Hence, we sought to determine the level of evidence for the effect of Anethum graveolens on male reproductive function. Methods: MEDLINE, Cochrane Library, PubMed, SPORT Discus, Science Direct, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar were searched to retrieve the literatures used for this review. Keywords utilized across database search were dill, Anethum graveolens, male fertility, and randomized control trial. The search was limited to studies done on animals and published in the English language. Result: Out of 25 studies, four trials met inclusion criteria for this meta-analysis. All the studies that met inclusion criteria were included for analysis of the effect of the plant extract on sperm concentration, sperm motility, and serum testosterone hormone level. The results of the meta-analysis suggested that there are no significant differences between male fertility and other interventions in the effects on inducing male infertility. On the other hand, the results of each study suggest that the extract of the dill (Anethum graveolens) has shown antifertility effect. Although no significant difference is shown when analyzed based on reproductive parameters such as sperm concentration, sperm motility, and serum testosterone level, it is reasonable to think that these slightly conflicting results might show scarcity of studies regarding the effects of Anethum graveolens on male fertility in demonstrating actual effects. Conclusion: The amount of studies regarding the current topic is scarce. The overall quality of evidence was very low. Therefore, it is difficult to conclude whether the aqueous extract of dill seed has or no adverse effect on male fertility. Considering our Meta-analysis, we recommended that there is a need for further investigation to provide adequate evidence for the anti-fertility effect of dill (Anethum graveolens) on male reproductive function.
Keywords: Anethum graveolens, Dill, male fertility, randomized control trial