Ascorbic acid attenuates gasoline-induced testicular toxicity, sperm quality deterioration, and testosterone imbalance in rats.

The present study evaluated the protective effect of ascorbic acid (ASCB) against gasoline fumes (PET) induced testicular oxidative stress, sperm toxicity, and testosterone imbalance in Wistar rats. Twenty-four (24) male albino rats (75 ± 16 g) were randomized into three experimental groups (N = 8). The control group: received normal saline, PET group: exposed to PET 6 h daily by inhalation in an exposure chamber and PET + 200 mg ASCB/kg body weight group: exposed to PET 6 h daily by inhalation and administered ASCB per os. Treatment of ASCB and PET exposure was done thrice and five times weekly for a period of 10 weeks respectively. ASCB co-treatment prevented PET-induced increases in the oxidative stress markers (glutathione, glutathione S-transferase, superoxide dismutase, catalase, hydrogen peroxide generation, nitric oxide, and lipid peroxidation) and serum testosterone concentration (p < .05). Sperm quality was low and those with damaged heads and tails increased alongside histological injuries in the PET-exposed rats, which were also minimized with ASCB administration. ASCB protected against PET-induced oxidative stress, sperm, and testis damage in rats.

Influence of triazines and lipopolysaccharide coexposure on inflammatory response and histopathological changes in the testis and liver of BalB/c mice.

Background: Triazines are environmental active chemicals that have been reported to alter the inflammatory status of the gonads. We tested the anti-inflammatory effect of the triazines (atrazine; ATZ, simazine; SMZ and cyanazine; CYZ) on the testis and compared it with the more classical liver model that has substantial populations of resident macrophages comparable to the testis. Methods: BalB/c mice were treated with 25 mg/kg ATZ, SMZ and CYZ for 30 days and injected with lipopolysaccharide (0.5 mg/kg i.p.) 6 h before sacrifice. Myeloperoxidase activity and nitric oxide level in the testis and liver homogenates were determined by spectrophotometry whereas tumor necrosis factor-alpha and interleukin-6 concentrations were evaluated by immunoassay. Haematoxylin and eosin stained sections of the tissues were observed using a light microscope. Results: Myeloperoxidase activity, nitric oxide, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, and interleukin-6 levels were decreased in the liver and testis of the triazines co-treated animals. SMZ has the most potent inhibitory effect and ATZ the least effect on inflammatory mediators in both tissues. Microscopic evaluation showed loss of inflammatory cells in the inter-tubular areas of the testis and few patchy masses of infiltrating inflammatory cells around the central vein of the liver. Conclusion: Triazines inhibit the levels of inflammatory mediators in the testis and liver of mice. The anti-inflammatory effect of triazines in a lipopolysaccharide-induced inflammation model was established in this study.

Atrazine: cytotoxicity, oxidative stress, apoptosis, testicular effects and chemopreventive Interventions.

Atrazine (ATZ) is an environmental pollutant that interferes with several aspects of mammalian cellular processes including germ cell development, immunological, reproductive and neurological functions. At the level of human exposure, ATZ reduces sperm count and contribute to infertility in men. ATZ also induces morphological changes similar to apoptosis and initiates mitochondria-dependent cell death in several experimental models. When in vitro experimental models are exposed to ATZ, they are faced with increased levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS), cytotoxicity and decreased growth rate at dosages that may vary with cell types. This results in differing cytotoxic responses that are influenced by the nature of target cells, assay types and concentrations of ATZ. However, oxidative stress could play salient role in the observed cellular and genetic toxicity and apoptosis-like effects which could be abrogated by antioxidant vitamins and flavonoids, including vitamin E, quercetin, kolaviron, myricetin and bioactive extractives with antioxidant effects. This review focuses on the differential responses of cell types to ATZ toxicity, testicular effects of ATZ in both in vitro and in vivo models and chemopreventive strategies, so as to highlight the current state of the art on the toxicological outcomes of ATZ exposure in several experimental model systems.

Fluted pumpkin seeds protect the spermatogenesis score index and testicular histology of caffeine treated rats.

The present study was designed to evaluate the protective effect of fluted pumpkin seeds (FPS) against caffeine (CAFF) induced testicular toxicity in rats. Thirty young healthy male Wistar rats (196 ± 12 g) were randomly organized into five sets of six animals per each group: control, caffeine (CAFF; 50 mg kg-1 bw) and FPS co-treatment groups (CAFF + 50 mg FPS, CAFF + 100 mg FPS and CAFF + 200 mg FPS kg-1  bw). CAFF and FPS were administered daily and twice per week respectively by oral gavage for 40 days. CAFF treatment decreased testicular lactate dehydrogenase enzyme activity level, which was attenuated on co-administration with FPS at 50 and 100 mg kg-1  bw. Furthermore, CAFF decreased seminiferous epithelia thickness and spermatogenesis score index and increased the number of tubules with abnormal histological features, which were attenuated on co-administration with FPS at 50 mg kg-1  bw much more than at the higher doses (p < 0.05). CAFF did not affect malondialdehyde and glutathione concentrations and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activity in the testes whereas FPS co-treatment at the higher doses elevated glutathione level and GSH-Px activity and did not affect spermatogenesis score index at the highest dose (200 mg kg-1  bw). Testicular malondialdehyde concentrations remained unaffected in all FPS co-treatment groups. Overall, FPS is able to minimize the CAFF-induced testicular injury at lower than at the higher tested doses.