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Ameliorative Effects of Pine Bark Extract on Spermatotoxicity by α‐Chlorohydrin in Rats
Author(s) -
Kim SungHwan,
Lee InChul,
Baek HyungSeon,
Moon Changjong,
Bae ChunSik,
Kim SungHo,
Park SeungChun,
Kim HyoungChin,
Kim JongChoon
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
phytotherapy research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.019
H-Index - 129
eISSN - 1099-1573
pISSN - 0951-418X
DOI - 10.1002/ptr.5016
Subject(s) - bark (sound) , traditional medicine , pharmacognosy , folk medicine , phytotherapy , medicine , pharmacology , chemistry , biology , biological activity , in vitro , biochemistry , pathology , ecology , alternative medicine
We investigated the protective effects of pine bark extract (Pycnogenol®, PYC, Horphag Research Ltd., Route de Belis, France) against α‐chlorohydrin (ACH)‐induced spermatotoxicity in rats. Rats were orally administered ACH (30 mg/kg/day) with or without PYC (20 mg/kg/day) for 7 days. Administration of ACH significantly decreased sperm motility. α‐Chlorohydrin also caused histopathological alterations and apoptotic changes in caput epididymides. An increased malondialdehyde concentration and decreased glutathione content, as well as catalase and glutathione peroxidase activities were also found. In contrast, PYC treatment significantly prevented ACH‐induced spermatotoxicity, including decreased sperm motility, histopathological lesions, and apoptotic changes in the caput epididymis. Pycnogenol® also had an antioxidant benefit by decreasing malondialdehyde and increasing levels of the antioxidant glutathione and the activities of the antioxidant enzymes catalase and peroxidase in epididymal tissues. These results indicate that PYC treatment attenuated ACH‐induced spermatotoxicity through antioxidant and antiapoptotic effects. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.