Anyone heard about this one

[cutlet (imported)]

Just looking around for answers and found this!

Effects of piperine on testis of albino rats.

Malini T, Manimaran RR, Arunakaran J, Aruldhas MM, Govindarajulu P.

Department of Endocrinology, Dr ALM Post Graduate Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Taramani, Madras, India.

Piperine was administered to mature male albino rats at doses of 5 and 10 mg/kg body weight, p.o., respectively, for 30 days. Only a 10 mg dose of piperine treatment caused a significant reduction in the weights of testis and accessory sex organs. Histological studies revealed that piperine at a 5 mg dose caused partial degeneration of germ cell types, whereas at a 10 mg dose, it caused severe damage to the seminiferous tubule, decrease in seminiferous tubular and Leydig cell nuclear diameter and desquamation of spermatocytes and spermatids. Correlated to the structural changes, a fall in caput and cauda epididymal sperm concentrations was also evident. A 10 mg dose of piperine also caused a marked increase in serum gonadotropins and a decrease in intratesticular testosterone concentration, despite normal serum testosterone titres.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/quer ... t=Abstract