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Chemotherapeutic efficacy of an ethanolic M oringa oleifera leaf extract against chromium‐induced testicular toxicity in rats
Author(s) -
Sadek K. M.
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
andrologia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.633
H-Index - 59
eISSN - 1439-0272
pISSN - 0303-4569
DOI - 10.1111/and.12196
Subject(s) - potassium dichromate , antioxidant , toxicity , sperm , chromium , pharmacology , moringa , chemistry , biology , medicine , biochemistry , andrology , food science , organic chemistry , inorganic chemistry
Summary This study was conducted to determine the mechanism underlying the chemotherapeutic efficacy of an ethanolic M oringa oleifera leaf extract ( MOLEE ) against chromium‐induced impairments of rat testes using biochemical methods. Twenty male W istar rats were divided into four groups of five animals each. Group I (control), group II injected potassium dichromate (8 mg kg −1 ) i.p., group III gastrogavaged MOLEE (500 mg kg −1 ) p.o. and group IV received (potassium dichromate plus MOLEE ) by the same doses for 60 days. After the blood samples were collected, the animals were sacrificed to determine the testicular antioxidant status and sperm parameters. The chromium‐treated group exhibited a significant decrease in testicular antioxidant enzymatic activities, local immunity and sperm parameters as well as an increase in inflammatory markers when compared with the control and MOLEE ‐treated group. However, concurrent administration of chromium and MOLEE significantly ameliorated the chromium effects on the sperm parameters, local immunity, inflammatory markers and antioxidant enzymatic activities compared with rats exposed to chromium alone. This study concludes that chronic exposure to chromium produces clear testicular toxicity, which can either be prevented or at least decreased by concomitant administration of MOLEE . Interestingly, the metal ion chelation could attribute partly the antioxidant activities of MOLEE .