Premium
Virgin coconut oil extract mitigates testicular‐induced toxicity of alcohol use in antiretroviral therapy
Author(s) -
Ogedengbe O. O.,
Naidu E. C. S.,
Akang E. N.,
Offor U.,
Onanuga I. O.,
Peter A. I.,
Jegede A. I.,
Azu O. O.
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
andrology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.947
H-Index - 43
eISSN - 2047-2927
pISSN - 2047-2919
DOI - 10.1111/andr.12490
Subject(s) - testosterone (patch) , luteinizing hormone , glutathione , sperm , hormone , medicine , semen quality , malondialdehyde , toxicity , antioxidant , endocrinology , glutathione peroxidase , andrology , physiology , oxidative stress , biology , biochemistry , catalase , enzyme
Summary The consumption of alcohol by people living with HIV / AIDS is associated with a graver prognosis. Long‐term use of antiretrovirals may have certain health challenges that may be aggravated by concomitant alcohol use. This study investigated virgin coconut oil ( VCO ) as an adjuvant to the deleterious effects of highly active antiretroviral therapy ( HAART ) and alcohol on the cyto‐architecture and functioning of the testis. Forty adult male Sprague‐Dawley rats, weighing 165~176 g, were divided into eight groups and treated according to protocol. Testicular histology, stereological parameters, seminal fluid, testosterone, luteinizing hormone, follicle‐stimulating hormone, the antioxidants marker malondialdehyde ( MDA ), and antioxidant glutathione ( GSH ) were examined. The use of ethanol alone and ethanol + HAART showed extensive degeneration in the seminiferous epithelium, decreased semen quality, disorganized basement membrane and widened, hypocellular interstitium. GSH was significantly decreased in the ethanol alone treated group with no significant effect on testosterone, LH , and MDA levels. Adjuvant treatment with VCO at low dose (2.5 mL/kg/bw) improved sperm motility with a partial restoration of the histopathological alterations. High doses of VCO (5.0 mL/kg/bw) showed greater improvement with respect to sperm counts, increased FSH hormonal and GSH antioxidant levels, and a well‐preserved testicular cyto‐architecture.