Premium
Tocotrienol‐rich fraction supplementation prevents foetal loss in females mated with corticosterone‐treated male Sprague–Dawley rats
Author(s) -
Abd Aziz Noor Azean Anis,
Chatterjee Amar,
Chatterjee Rita,
Durairajanayagam Damayanthi
Publication year - 2019
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.13199
Subject(s) - corticosterone , endocrinology , medicine , testosterone (patch) , biology , malondialdehyde , analysis of variance , anogenital distance , pregnancy , oxidative stress , fetus , hormone , in utero , genetics
This study examined whether tocotrienol supplementation to corticosterone‐treated male rats could prevent foetal loss in females upon their mating. Epididymides of adult male Sprague–Dawley (SD) rats with proven fertility were surgically separated at the testis‐caput junction. Twenty‐four hours post‐surgery, these animals received for 7 days either: tocopherol‐stripped corn oil (Control), corticosterone 25 mg/kg s.c. (CORT), CORT 25 mg/kg s.c. and tocotrienol‐rich fraction (TRF) 100 mg/kg orally (CORT + TRF) or TRF 100 mg/kg orally (TRF). On day 8, males were cohabited with proestrus females. A spermatozoa‐positive vaginal smear indicated pregnancy. Males were euthanised for analysis of testosterone and antioxidant activities. Reproductive organs were weighed. On day 8 of pregnancy, females were laparotomised to count the number of implantation sites. Pregnancy was continued until term. Number of pups delivered and their weights were determined. Data were analysed using ANOVA. Malondialdehyde levels were significantly lower in CORT + TRF group compared with CORT group. Enzymatic antioxidant activities, testosterone level and reproductive organ weights were significantly higher in CORT + TRF group compared with CORT group. Number of implantation sites and live pups delivered, and their birth weights from females mated with CORT + TRF males were significantly higher compared to CORT group. Therefore, TRF prevents foetal loss in females mated with CORT + TRF‐treated males.