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Tramadol is widely abused in Nigeria and has been reported to cause fertility decline via testicular oxidative stress. This study investigated the effect of vitamin E, an antioxidant on some reproductive parameters in male Wistar rats administered tramadol. Twenty male Wistar rats (180-200 g) were randomly assigned into four groups (n = 5) thus: Control (0.2 ml vehicle: olive oil), tramadol-treated (20 mg/kg of tramadol), vitamin E-treated (100 mg/kg of vitamin E) and tramadol + vitamin Etreated (received tramadol and vitamin E) groups. Drugs were administered orally and daily for 28 days. Sperm count, Johnsen's score, germinal epithelial height and serum testosterone, follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinising hormone (LH) concentrations were significantly (p < .05) decreased in tramadol-treated and tramadol + vitamin E compared with control and vitamin E-treated groups. Sperm motility, morphology, viability, seminiferous tubular diameter, Leydig cell count, Sertoli cell count and malondialdehyde, superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase and catalase concentrations were not significantly different among the groups. Histology of testis and epididymis in all groups showed no toxicity but decreased sperm population in tramadol-treated and tramadol + vitamin E-treated groups. Tramadol did not cause testicular oxidative stress but impaired testicular function by suppressing testosterone, FSH and LH secretion. Vitamin E administration could not attenuate this impairment in testicular function. K E Y W O R D S spermatogenesis, testis, testosterone, tramadol, vitamin E How to cite this article: Udefa AL, Beshel FN, Nwangwa JN, et al. Vitamin E administration does not ameliorate tramadolassociated impairment of testicular function in Wistar rats.

High salt diet (HSD) impairs testicular function via oxidative stress. Cyperus esculentus contains antioxidants and improves testicular function. We investigated the protective effect of hydro‐ethanolic extract of Cyperus esculentus on testicular function in HSD‐fed Wistar rats. Twenty‐five male Wistar rats (125–135 g) 8–9 weeks old were divided into five groups (n = 5): control, HSD‐fed (8 % NaCl in feed), extract‐treated (500 mg kg−1 day−1), HSD‐fed +500 mg kg−1 day−1 of extract and HSD‐fed +1,000 mg kg−1 day−1 of extract groups. Treatment lasted for 6 weeks. HSD decreased (p < .05) sperm parameters and serum reproductive hormones levels, while Cyperus esculentus extract improved (p < .05) sperm parameters, and serum testosterone and follicle‐stimulating hormone levels in HSD‐fed rats. The extract upregulated intra‐testicular testosterone level and activities of 3β‐hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (3β‐HSD) and 17β‐HSD, downregulated malondialdehyde and nitric oxide levels, and exhibited a dose‐dependent decrease in pro‐inflammatory cytokines, upregulation of activities of enzymatic antioxidants and increase in total antioxidant capacity in testes of HSD‐fed rats. The extract at both doses improved Johnsen's score, Leydig and Sertoli cell counts and seminiferous tubular diameter in HSD‐fed rats. Cyperus esculentus exhibited a dose‐dependent mitigation of HSD‐associated testicular dysfunction by targeting testicular steroidogenesis, oxidative stress and inflammation.

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