Ginkgo biloba extract protects against tartrazine-induced testicular toxicity in rats: involvement of antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-apoptotic mechanisms.

The use of additives, especially colorants, in food and pharmaceutical industry is increasing dramatically. Currently, additives are classified as contaminants of emerging concern (CECs). Concerns have been raised about the potential hazards of food additives to reproductive organs and fertility. The present study investigates the reproductive toxicity of tartrazine (TRZ), a synthetic colorant, in male rats and aims to explore the curative effect of Ginkgo biloba extract (EGb) against TRZ-induced testicular toxicity. Twenty-four rats were divided into four groups: the control (0.5 ml distilled water), the EGb group (100 mg/kg EGb alone), the TRZ group (7.5 mg/kg TRZ alone), and the TRZ-EGb group (7.5 mg/kg TRZ plus 100 mg/kg EGb). The doses were administered orally in distilled water once daily for 28 days. Toxicity studies of TRZ investigated testicular redox state, serum gonadotropins, and testosterone levels, testicular 17 ß-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase activity, sperm count and quality, levels of inflammatory cytokines, and caspase-3 expression as an apoptotic marker. Also, histopathological alterations of the testes were examined. TRZ significantly affected the testicular redox status as indicated by the increase in malondialdehyde and the decrease in reduced glutathione, superoxide dismutase, and catalase. It also disrupted serum gonadotropins (follicle stimulating hormone and luteinizing hormone) and testosterone levels and the activity of testicular 17ß-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase. Additionally, TRZ adversely affected sperm count, motility, viability, and abnormality. Levels of tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-1ß, interleukin-6, and expression of caspase-3 were increased in the testes. Histopathological examination of the testes supported the alterations mentioned above. Administration of EGb significantly ameliorated TRZ-induced testicular toxicity in rats. In conclusion, EGb protected against TRZ-induced testicular toxicity through antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-apoptotic mechanisms.

Hepatoprotective effect of Spirulina platensis against carbon tetrachloride-induced liver injury in male rats.

OBJECTIVES: Spirulina platensis (SP) is an edible Cyanobacterium with ethnomedicinal significance. This study aims at evaluating the beneficial effect of SP against carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-induced liver toxicity in male rats. METHODS: Rats received intraperitoneal injections of CCl4 (2 ml/kg body weight [b.w.] per every other day) for 40 days, alone or in combination with oral treatments of SP (400 mg/kg b.w. per day). KEY FINDINGS: SP attenuated haematological disturbances, serum liver markers, hepatic necrosis and inflammation, and dyslipidemia in CCl4-intoxicated rats. SP also reduced CCl4-induced oxidative stress by increasing the activities of antioxidant enzymes, such as glutathione peroxidase, superoxide dismutase and catalase and glutathione content, and inhibiting lipid peroxidation products and nitric oxide levels in the rat liver. Further investigations revealed that SP counteracted CCl4-induced increased hepatic levels of Ki-67 (a parameter of cell proliferation), interleukin-6, and tumour necrosis factor-alpha and cyclooxygenase-2 messenger RNA expression. Noticeably, the supplementation of SP restored the decrease of proapoptotic p53 protein levels in the liver of rats treated with CCl4. CONCLUSIONS: SP prevented liver damage in CCl4-treated rats via augmentation of antioxidant defense mechanisms and inhibition of inflammatory cytokines/mediators and antiproliferative effects.

Ameliorative effects of bee pollen and date palm pollen on the glycemic state and male sexual dysfunctions in streptozotocin-Induced diabetic wistar rats.

This study aimed to assess the effects of bee pollen (BP) and/or date palm pollen (DPP) suspensions on the glycemic state, testicular dysfunctions, oxidative stress and antioxidant defense system in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic male Wistar rats. Diabetes mellitus was induced by single intraperitoneal injection of STZ to overnight-fasted rats at dose of 40mg/kg body weight. After 1 week of STZ injection, diabetic rats were treated with BP and/or DPP suspensions at dose levels of 100mg/kg body weight/day for 4 weeks. The STZ-induced diabetes significantly increased blood glucose levels and testicular nitric oxide (NO) and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels parallel with disrupted testicular and pancreatic histological architecture and integrity. On the other hand, STZ-induced diabetes significantly decreased body weight, testis and pancreas weights, levels of serum insulin, testosterone, luteinizing hormone (LH) & follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) as well as sperm count, motility and viability. The administration of BP and DPP suspensions resulted in a significant recovery of the above mentioned parameters as compared to the diabetic control group. These improvements were associated with enhancement of the testicular antioxidant system manifested by an increase in the lowered glutathione content (GSH) and glutathione-S-transferase (GST), glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities in diabetic rats as a result of treatments with BP and DPP suspensions. Thus, it can be concluded that BP and/or DPP suspensions may have potential protective role against diabetes-induced pituitary testicular axis dysfunction and testicular histological deleterious changes in association with antihyperglycemic actions via their antioxidant properties and their efficiency to improve blood insulin level and beta cell function.