Research Articles (Natural Medicine)

Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://hdl.handle.net/10566/697

Browse

Recent Submissions

Now showing 1 - 20 of 26
  • Item type: Item ,
    Preparation and anti-fatigue activity of polypeptides from sea cucumber viscera
    (John Wiley and Sons Ltd, 2026) Zhao, Yuxuan; Zhang, Xiaotong; Wang, Ye; Zhang, Jun; Gong, Xiaojie; Ma, Xuesheng; Dou, Deqiang
    BACKGROUND: In the industrial processing of sea cucumbers, the nutrient-rich viscera are often discarded as by-products, leading to resource waste and environmental pollution. To achieve high-value utilization of these resources, the present study aimed to optimize an enzymatic process to extract anti-fatigue bioactive peptides from sea cucumber viscera for use in functional foods. RESULTS: The hydrolysis conditions with neutral protease were optimized using response surface methodology and the optimal conditions were determined as follows: an enzyme addition of 3 μL g−1, a temperature of 65 °C, pH 7.0, a duration of 4 h and a material-to-liquid ratio of 1:4 (g mL−1). Under these conditions, a high polypeptide yield of 303.0 mg g−1 was obtained. The resulting enzymatic hydrolysate (EH) contained small peptides (< 1000 Da) at a concentration of 775.40 mg g−1, which was significantly higher than that in the non-enzymatic hydrolysate (491.21 mg g−1). Furthermore, the EH exhibited increased levels of branched-chain and functional amino acids along with improved nutritional indices. The anti-fatigue effects of EH were evaluated in a murine model using an exhaustive swimming test combined with biochemical analyses. The results demonstrated that EH treatment significantly prolonged thorough swimming time and elevated levels of liver glycogen, lactate dehydrogenase, tumor necrosis factor-α and interleukin-2, at the same time as reducing blood urea nitrogen levels. CONCLUSION: Bioactive peptides derived from sea cucumber viscera exhibit strong anti-fatigue activity, demonstrating great potential as functional food ingredients. This work provides a sustainable and efficient strategy for valorizing seafood processing by-products.
  • Item type: Item ,
    Preparation and anti-fatigue activity of polypeptides from sea cucumber viscera
    (John Wiley and Sons Ltd, 2026) Ma, Xuesheng; Zhao, Yuxuan; Zhang, Xiaotong
    BACKGROUND: In the industrial processing of sea cucumbers, the nutrient-rich viscera are often discarded as by-products, leading to resource waste and environmental pollution. To achieve high-value utilization of these resources, the present study aimed to optimize an enzymatic process to extract anti-fatigue bioactive peptides from sea cucumber viscera for use in functional foods. RESULTS: The hydrolysis conditions with neutral protease were optimized using response surface methodology and the optimal conditions were determined as follows: an enzyme addition of 3 μL g−1, a temperature of 65 °C, pH 7.0, a duration of 4 h and a material-to-liquid ratio of 1:4 (g mL−1). Under these conditions, a high polypeptide yield of 303.0 mg g−1 was obtained. The resulting enzymatic hydrolysate (EH) contained small peptides (< 1000 Da) at a concentration of 775.40 mg g−1, which was significantly higher than that in the non-enzymatic hydrolysate (491.21 mg g−1). Furthermore, the EH exhibited increased levels of branched-chain and functional amino acids along with improved nutritional indices. The anti-fatigue effects of EH were evaluated in a murine model using an exhaustive swimming test combined with biochemical analyses. The results demonstrated that EH treatment significantly prolonged thorough swimming time and elevated levels of liver glycogen, lactate dehydrogenase, tumor necrosis factor-α and interleukin-2, at the same time as reducing blood urea nitrogen levels. CONCLUSION: Bioactive peptides derived from sea cucumber viscera exhibit strong anti-fatigue activity, demonstrating great potential as functional food ingredients. This work provides a sustainable and efficient strategy for valorizing seafood processing by-products. © 2025 Society of Chemical Industry.
  • Item type: Item ,
    Smoked or bewitched? the relationship between cannabis use and mental illness among the shona persons in Zimbabwe
    (Springer, 2025) Maja, Jakarasi
    The metanarrative of biomedicine and “psy” discipline (psychology, psychoanalysis, psychiatry etc.) asserts that cannabis use is one of the fundamental causes of mental illness among different men in the Rushinga district of Zimbabwe. These metanarratives, however, appear to have universalised, medicalised and marginalised the conception and representation of mental illness as enmeshed in local epistemologies and ontologies of mental illness. Based on local epistemologies, elders in Diwa largely trace mental illness to discursive sociocultural explanations rarely linked to cannabis use. This paper answers the central question: How is the use of cannabis by different persons related to mental illness in the Rushinga district? I argue that community members, health providers and police officers want to think of persons, especially men, with mental illness as “mad” and immoral cannabis users who brought illnesses upon themselves and lack personal responsibility based on Western neoliberal and biomedical metanarratives. However, this framing is not helpful, it is detrimental to treatment and social reputation, as it bypasses local cultural explanations that may be protective and that offer clearer guidelines for treatment. © The Author(s) 2025.
  • Item type: Item ,
    Small supernumerary marker Chromosome (sSMC) 15 in male primary infertility: a case study
    (John Wiley and Sons Ltd, 2025) Leisegang, Kristian; Mottola, Filomena; Finelli, Renata
    This case report describes a 39-year-old phenotypically normal male patient of a married couple with primary infertility presenting as candidates for assisted reproductive techniques. The medical history of the couple is unremarkable, with both partners phenotypically normal. Semen analysis revealed oligoasthenzoospermia (OAT), 15% sperm DNA fragmentation and 4% aneuploidies in the sperm nuclei. Genetic analysis showed no Y chromosome of cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator gene mutations. Karyotype analysis in the male partner revealed a small supernumerary marker chromosome (sSMC) derived from chromosome 15, specifically inverted and duplicated (inv dup(15)) corresponding to the 15q11.2 region but lacking the Prader-Willi/Angelman syndrome critical region (PWACR). Further investigations revealed that 35% of the patient’s spermatozoa carried the sSMC(15). This case study highlights the potential association between the presence of an inv dup(15) sSMC, without the involvement of the PWACR, and male infertility. sSMC(15) may disrupt spermatogenesis and contribute to oligoasthenozoospermia in males with primary infertility. Further research into the association of mechanism mechanisms of male infertility related to the 15q11.2 region is warranted.
  • Item type: Item ,
    Unani Tibb practitioners’ perceptions and attitudes towards spirituality and spiritual care in Unani Tibb practice in South Africa
    (BMC, 2023) Hoosen, Mujeeb; Roman, Nicolette Vanessa; Mthembu, Thuli Godfrey
    Unani Tibb is an Arabic term which means Greek medicine. It is an ancient holistic medical system based on the healing theories of Hippocrates, Galen and Ibn Sina (Avicenna). Despite this, spirituality and spiritual care practices are deficient in the clinical setting. This cross-sectional descriptive study was used to describe Unani Tibb practitioners’ perceptions and attitudes regarding spirituality and spiritual care in South Africa. A demographic form, Spiritual Care-Giving Scale, Spiritual and Spiritual Care Rating Scale and Spirituality in Unani Tibb Scale were used to collect data. A response rate of 64.7% (n = 44 out of 68) was achieved. Positive perceptions and attitudes regarding spirituality and spiritual care were recorded for Unani Tibb practitioners. The spiritual needs of their patients were considered vital towards enhancing the Unani Tibb treatment approach. Spirituality and spiritual care were regarded as fundamental to Unani Tibb therapy. However, most practitioners agreed that adequate training in spirituality and spiritual care was lacking and future training initiatives were imperative for Unani Tibb clinical practice in South Africa.
  • Item type: Item ,
    Protective effects of asiatic acid in a spontaneous type 2 diabetic mouse model
    (Spandidos Publications, 2017) Sun, Wen; Xu, Guangyuan; Matsabisa, Motlalepula
    Asiatic acid (AA) has been demonstrated to exhibit anti‑diabetic activity. However, the mechanisms and underlying signaling pathways remain to be elucidated. The present study was performed to confirm the protective effect of AA and demonstrate its ability to regulate the phosphatidylinositol 3‑kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (AKT)/glycogen synthase kinase‑3β (GSK‑3β) signaling pathway in db/db mice. Db/db mice fed on a high‑fat diet were used to model diabetes mellitus. Modeled mice were divided randomly into the model control, pioglitazone hydrochloride tablet (PH) and AA groups. Age‑matched C57 BL/6J mice served as normal controls.
  • Item type: Item ,
    The efficacy of zingiber officinale on dyslipidaemia, blood pressure, and inflammation as cardiovascular risk factors: A systematic review
    (Clinical Nutrition ESPEN, 2022) Daniels, Chelsea Courtney; Isaacs, Zaiyaan; Leisegang, Kristian; Finelli, Renata
    Background & aims: Hypertension, dyslipidaemia, and chronic inflammation contribute to the development of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Zingiber officinale has been suggested to reduce these CVD risk factors; however, the clinical evidence remains unclear. This systematic review aims to analyse the effect of Z. officinale as a sole intervention on these risk factors. Methods: In this PRISMA-based systematic review, we included randomised clinical trials from PubMed, Scopus and Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (July 2020) analysing triglycerides, low- and highdensity lipoprotein (LDL, HDL), total cholesterol, C-reactive protein (CRP), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-a), interleukin 1, 6, 10, systolic and/or diastolic blood pressure as outcomes. Quality of studies was evaluated by JADAD and the Cochrane risk-of-bias tools. Results: A total of 24 studies were included, mostly (79.2%) showing low risk of bias. These were based on obesity and cardio-metabolic derangements (33.3%), type 2 diabetes mellitus (37.5%), and miscellaneous conditions (29.2%). While total cholesterol and triglycerides levels mostly improved after Z. officinale, results were inconsistent for other blood lipids markers. Inflammatory markers (CRP, TNF-a) were more consistently reduced by Z. officinale, while only 3 studies reported a non-significant reduction of blood pressure. Conclusions: Although there remains a paucity of studies, Z. officinale may be beneficial for improving dyslipidaemia and inflammation.
  • Item type: Item ,
    Effects of active galactic nucleus feedback on cold gas depletion and quenching of central galaxies
    (American Astronomical Society, 2022-12-27) Davé, Romeel; Ma, Wenlin; Liu, Kexin
    We investigate the influence of active galactic nucleus (AGN) feedback on the galaxy cold gas content and its connection to galaxy quenching in three hydrodynamical simulations of Illustris, IllustrisTNG, and SIMBA. By comparing to the observed atomic and molecular neutral hydrogen measurements for central galaxies, we find that Illustris overpredicts the cold gas masses in star-forming galaxies and significantly underpredicts them for quenched galaxies. IllustrisTNG performs better in this comparison than Illustris, but quenched galaxies retain too much cold gas compared with observations. SIMBA shows good agreement with observations, by depleting the global cold gas reservoir for quenched galaxies. We find that the discrepancies in IllustrisTNG are caused by its weak kinetic AGN feedback that only redistributes the cold gas from the inner disks to the outer regions and reduces the inner cold gas densities. It agrees with observations much better when only the cold gas within the stellar disk is considered to infer the star formation rates. From dependences of the cold gas reservoir on the black hole mass and Eddington ratio, we find that the cumulative energy release during the black hole growth is the dominant reason for the cold gas depletion and thus the galaxy quenching. We further measure the central stellar surface density within 1 kpc (Σ1) for the high-resolution run of IllustrisTNG and find a tight correlation between Σ1 and black hole mass. It suggests that the observed decreasing trend of cold gas mass with Σ1 is also a reflection of the black hole growth.
  • Item type: Item ,
    Highly Cited Articles in the Field of Male Infertility and Antioxidants: A Scientometric Analysis
    (Worlds J Mens Health, 2021) Agarwal, A; Selvam, MK; Baskaran, S; Finelli, R
    Purpose The objective of this scientometric analysis was to recognize the top 100 cited articles on ‘Male infertility and Antioxidants’ and analyze its publication characteristics. Materials and Methods The Scopus database was used to retrieve related articles and the top 100 identified based on citation rate. Results The articles were published in 56 journals between 1995 and 2019 with a median (interquartile range) citation score of 17 (5–62). Among the top 100 articles, 69 were clinical studies, which included controlled and blinded (33.33%), prospective (27.54%), randomized-controlled trials (26.09%), uncontrolled (11.59%), and retrospective (1.45%) studies. In addition to conventional semen parameters, advanced sperm function tests such as oxidative stress (51%) and sperm DNA damage (23%) were reported. Pregnancy rate (33%) was found to be the most reported reproductive outcome. Antioxidant therapy was mostly investigated in male cohorts with sperm abnormalities such as asthenozoospermia (28%) and clinical conditions such as idiopathic male infertility (20%), varicocele/varicocelectomy (17%) and general male infertility (16%). Conclusions The most influential publications on antioxidants and male infertility were identified for the first time in the literature. This will serve as a reliable source of information for researchers and clinicians alike.
  • Item type: Item ,
    A comparative analysis and evaluation of the naturopathic curriculum in South Africa
    (South African Medical Association, 2021) Ericksen-Pereira, Wendy; Roman, Nicolette; Swart, Rina
    Naturopathy has been taught at tertiary level in South Africa (SA) for 18 years. This research paper examines the naturopathic curriculum to determine whether it is benchmarked to international standards and meets the needs of graduates in practice. It is the first research paper that critically reviews the curriculum of a complementary alternative medicine profession taught at a higher education institution (HEI) in SA.To critically review the naturopathy curriculum taught at an SA HEI. Methods. This research used a sequential two-stage qualitative methodology. In stage one, a comparative document analysis was conducted using the curriculum recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO), the World Naturopathic Federation (WNF) and the University of the Western Cape. Stage two consisted of a graduate review of the curriculum. Eighteen graduates participated in the review by providing input on all the subjects in the curriculum via email. The responses were summarised and thematically analysed.
  • Item type: Item ,
    A web-based global educational model for training in semen analysis during the Covid-19 pandemic
    (Korean Society for Sexual Medicine and Andrology, 2021) Agarwal, Ashok; Finelli, Renata; Leisegang, Kristian
    In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the American Center for Reproductive Medicine (ACRM) transitioned its annual training in assisted reproductive technology (ART) from a hands-on, laboratory-based training course to a fully online training endorsed by the American College of Embryology. Here we describe our experience and assess the quality of an online training format based on participant outcomes for the first three modules of a planned series of online ART training.These modules included manual semen analysis, sperm morphology and ancillary semen tests (testing for leukocytospermia, sperm vitality, and anti-sperm antibody screening). The virtual format consisted of lecture presentations featuring laboratory protocols with corresponding video demonstrations of routine techniques and best practices. Practical scenarios, troubleshooting, and clinical interpretation of laboratory results were also discussed. At the end of each module, an optional multiple choice question test was held as a prerequisite to obtain certification on the topics presented. Course quality was assessed using participant responses collected via online surveys
  • Item type: Item ,
    The geography of emergency department-based HIV testing in South Africa: Can patients link to care?
    (Elsevier, 2021) Hansoti, Bhakti; Mishra, Anant; Nyanisa, Yandisa
    : Emergency Departments (EDs) can serve as clinical sites for identification of new HIV infections and their entry into care. We examined if HIV-positive patients who present to EDs in South Africa are able to successfully link to care.We conducted a one-year longitudinal prospective cohort study in four hospitals across the Eastern Cape, South Africa, with participants followed between July 2016 and July 2018. All adult, non-critical patients presenting to the ED were systematically approached, asked about their HIV status, and, if unknown, offered a point-of-care (POC) HIV test. All HIV-positive patients were further consented to participate in a follow-up study to assess subsequent linkage to care and distance from “home” to ED. Linkage to care was defined as self-reported linkage (telephonic) or evidence of repeated CD4/viral load testing in the National Health Laboratory System (NHLS) at either the 6- or 12-months post index ED visit.
  • Item type: Item ,
    Shelf-Life Stability of Ready-to-Use Green Rooibos Iced Tea Powder—Assessment of Physical, Chemical, and Sensory Properties
    (MDPI, 2021) Human, C.; De Beer, D.; Muller, M.
    Green rooibos extract (GRE), shown to improve hyperglycemia and HDL/LDL blood cholesterol, has potential as a nutraceutical beverage ingredient. The main bioactive compound of the extract is aspalathin, a C-glucosyl dihydrochalcone. The study aimed to determine the effect of common iced tea ingredients (citric acid, ascorbic acid, and xylitol) on the stability of GRE, microencapsulated with inulin for production of a powdered beverage. The stability of the powder mixtures stored in semi-permeable (5 months) and impermeable (12 months) single-serve packaging at 30 C and 40 C/65% relative humidity was assessed
  • Item type: Item ,
    Obesity and male infertility: Mechanisms and management
    (Blackwell Publishing Ltd, 2021) Leisegang, K; Sengupta, P; Agarwal, A
    Obesity is considered a global health problem affecting more than a third of the population. Complications of obesity include cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes mellitus, malignancy (including prostatic cancer), neurodegeneration and accelerated ageing. In males, these further include erectile dysfunction, poor semen quality and subclinical prostatitis. Although poorly understood, important mediators of obesity that may influence the male reproductive system include hyperinsulinemia, hyperleptinemia, chronic inflammation and oxidative stress. Obesity is known to disrupt male fertility and the reproduction potential, particularly through alteration in the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis, disruption of testicular steroidogenesis and metabolic dysregulation, including insulin, cytokines and adipokines. Importantly, obesity and its underlying mediators result in a negative impact on semen parameters, including sperm concentration, motility, viability and normal morphology. Moreover, obesity inhibits chromatin condensation, DNA fragmentation, increases apoptosis and epigenetic changes that can be transferred to the offspring.
  • Item type: Item ,
    An online educational model in andrology for student training in the art of scientific writing in the COVID-19 pandemic
    (Blackwell Publishing Ltd, 2021) Leisegang, K; Agarwal, A; Panner Selvam, M.K
    In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic led to the suspension of the annual Summer Internship at the American Center for Reproductive Medicine (ACRM). To transit it into an online format, an inaugural 6-week 2020 ACRM Online Mentorship Program was developed focusing on five core pillars of andrology research: scientific writing, scientific methodology, plagiarism understanding, soft skills development and mentee basic andrology knowledge. This study aims to determine mentee developmental outcomes based on student surveys and discuss these within the context of the relevant teaching and learning methodology. The mentorship was structured around scientific writing projects established by the team using a student-centred approach, with one-on-one expert mentorship through weekly formative assessments. Furthermore, weekly online meetings were conducted, including expert lectures, formative assessments and social engagement. Data were collected through final assessments and mentee surveys on mentorship outcomes. Results show that mentees (n = 28) reported a significant (p <.0001) improvement in all criteria related to the five core pillars. These results illustrate that the aims of the online mentorship program were achieved through a unique and adaptive online educational model and that our model has demonstrated its effectiveness as an innovative structured educational experience through the COVID-19 crisis.
  • Item type: Item ,
    Utility of Antioxidants in the Treatment of Male Infertility: Clinical Guidelines Based on a Systematic Review and Analysis of Evidence
    (The Worlds Journal of Men's health, 2021-01) Leisegang, Kristian; Agarwal, Ashok; Majzoub, Ahmad
    It is widely accepted that oxidative stress plays an important role in the pathophysiology of male infertility and that antioxidants could have a significant role in the treatment of male infertility. The main objectives of this study are: 1) to systematically review the current evidence for the utility of antioxidants in the treatment of male infertility; and 2) propose evidence-based clinical guidelines for the use of antioxidants in the treatment of male infertility. A systematic review of the available clinical evidence was performed, with articles published on Scopus being manually screened. Data extracted included the type of antioxidant used, the clinical conditions under investigation, the evaluation of semen parameters and reproductive outcomes. The adherence to the Cambridge Quality Checklist, Cochrane Risk of Bias for randomized controlled trials (RCTs), CONSORT guidelines and JADAD score were analyzed for each included study. Further, we provided a Strength Weakness Opportunity Threat (SWOT) analysis to analyze the current and future value of antioxidants in male infertility. Of the 1,978 articles identified, 97 articles were included in the study. Of these, 52 (53.6%) were uncontrolled (open label), 12 (12.4%) unblinded RCTs, and 33 (34.0%) blinded RCTs, whereas 44 (45.4%) articles tested individual antioxidants, 31 (32.0%) a combination of several products in variable dosages, and 22 (22.6%) registered antioxidant products. Based on the published evidence, we 1) critically examined the necessity of additional double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trials, and 2) proposed updated evidence-based clinical guidelines for antioxidant therapy in male infertility. The current systematic review on antioxidants and male infertility clearly shows that antioxidant supplementation improves semen parameters. In addition, it provides the indications for antioxidant treatment in specific clinical conditions, including varicocele, unexplained and idiopathic male infertility, as well as in cases of altered semen quality.
  • Item type: Item ,
    Tongkat Ali as a Potential Herbal Supplement for Physically Active Male and Female Seniors—A Pilot Study
    (John Wiley & Sons Ltd, 2013) Henkel, Ralf; Wang, Ruxiang; Bassett, Susan; Chen, Tao; Liu, Na; Zhu, Ying; Tambi, Mohd
    Tongkat Ali (Eurycoma longifolia; TA) is known to increase testosterone levels and alleviate aging males’ symptoms. This study aimed at investigating TA as an ergogenic supplement for elderly people. Thirteen physically active male and 12 physically active female seniors (57–72 years) were supplemented with 400-mg TA extract daily for 5 weeks. Standard hematological parameters were taken. In addition, the concentrations of total and free testosterone, dihydroepiandrosterone, cortisol, insulin-like growth factor-1, and sex hormone-binding globulin were analyzed. As additional biochemical parameters, blood urea nitrogen and creatine kinase as parameters of kidney function and muscle damage, respectively, as well as the muscle strength by a simple handgrip test were determined. After treatment, hemoglobin, testosterone, and dihydroepiandrosterone concentrations, and the ratio of total testosterone/cortisol and muscle force remained significantly lower in female seniors than in male seniors. Hematocrit and erythrocyte count in male seniors increased slightly but were significantly higher than in female seniors. Treatment resulted in significant increases in total and free testosterone concentrations and muscular force in men and women. The increase in free testosterone in women is thought to be due to the significant decline in sex hormone-binding globulin concentrations. The study affirms the ergogenic benefit of TA through enhanced muscle strength
  • Item type: Item ,
    The effect of legislation on the treatment practices and role of naturopaths in South Africa
    (Springer Nature, 2020) Ericksen-Pereira, Wendy G.; Roman, Nicolette Vanessa; Swart, Rina
    In South Africa naturopaths have been practising for over half a century. Over this period, changes in legislation have resulted in different levels of training and registration processes - which has impacted on the profession in various ways. This paper explores the effect of legislation on the treatment practices and role of naturopaths in South Africa. Methods: This was a qualitative study which used an exploratory approach. Participants were sampled from the list of naturopaths registered with the Allied Health Professions Council of South Africa (AHPCSA). A set of 15 openended survey questions were emailed to 59 naturopaths. Twenty one naturopaths participated: 13 responded via email and eight were interviewed. Responses were coded and thematically analysed. Results: It was found that despite differences in training and years of practice experience, four core treatment practices of diet therapy, lifestyle medicine, supplementation and physical therapies were common to all participants with the older, more experienced naturopaths using a wider range of treatment practices.
  • Item type: Item ,
    Sperm DNA fragmentation: A new guideline for clinicians
    (Korean Society for Sexual Medicine and Andrology, 2020) Leisegang, Kristian; Agarwal, Ashok; Majzoub, Ahmad A.
    Sperm DNA integrity is crucial for fertilization and development of healthy offspring. The spermatozoon undergoes extensive molecular remodeling of its nucleus during later phases of spermatogenesis, which imparts compaction and protects the genetic content. Testicular (defective maturation and abortive apoptosis) and post-testicular (oxidative stress) mechanisms are implicated in the etiology of sperm DNA fragmentation (SDF), which affects both natural and assisted reproduction. Several clinical and environmental factors are known to negatively impact sperm DNA integrity. An increasing number of reports emphasizes the direct relationship between sperm DNA damage and male infertility. Currently, several assays are available to assess sperm DNA damage, however, routine assessment of SDF in clinical practice is not recommended by professional organizations.
  • Item type: Item ,
    Male fertility and the COVID-19 pandemic: Systematic review of the literature
    (Korean Society for Sexual Medicine and Andrology, 2020) Leisegang, Kristian; Khalili, Mohammad Ali; Majzoub, Ahmad A.
    Purpose: Since its discovery in December 2019, the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 has spread globally, causing the current COVID-19 (coronavirus disease-19) pandemic. As there is an increase of infections in the male population, concerns have emerged about the potential impact of COVID-19 on male reproductive organs and male fertility. Therefore, this study systematically investigates the current evidence of SARS-CoV-2 impact on male reproduction and pregnancy outcomes, discussing them in light of the evidence published on other coronaviruses. Materials and Methods: Literature search was carried out according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. A total of 24 original articles were included for the analysis, investigating the effects of the infection on semen parameters, male reproductive hormones, and pregnancy outcomes.