Background: The potential toxicity of clove, Syzygium aromaticum, notwithstanding its beneficial health effect to human health remains a critical issue. Purpose: This study was designed to assess the effects of oil extracts of clove (S. aromaticum) on reproductive parameters in Wistar rats. The ameliorative effect due to co-administration with green tea, Camellia sinensis, was also determined. Methods: Adult rats were exposed via oral gavage to mineral oil (negative control), 5% green tea (GT), 12.5 mg/kg/day chlorpyrifos (CHL, positive control), 360 mg/kg/day clove oil (CO), green tea + chlorpyrifos (GT+CHL), or green tea + clove oil (GT+CO) for 3 weeks, after which the animals were sacrificed and the following sperm parameters: total sperm count, sperm motile count, sperm progressive assessment, and sperm morphology were determined. The serum levels of reproductive hormones, testosterone, follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH), were determined. The histological sections of the testes were also performed. Results: The results revealed that S. aromaticum treatment resulted in significant damage to the sperm morphology especially at the neck and tail regions with only a marginal change to the total sperm count, sperm motile count, and sperm progressive assessment. The levels of testosterone, FSH, and LH decreased significantly in rats treated with S. aromaticum. Histopathological analyses revealed significant disruption of normal testes structure in rats that were treated with either clove oil or chlorpyrifos. Conclusion: Overall, the results of this study show that the co-administration with C. sinensis has the potential to ameliorate the clove-induced reproductive toxicity in rats.

Background The mitigating effect of Ananas comosus (pineapple juice) extract on an aluminum-induced testicular toxicity in male Wistar rats was examined in this study. Thirty healthy adult male Wistar rats with an average weight of 200 g were grouped into six groups; distilled water and 1 ml of pineapple juice extracts were administered to the control and treated animals respectively for 3 weeks. The control group was given rat pellets and distilled water. Negative control was given 100mg/kg/d Aluminum Chloride and pellets; Group 1 was given 100mg/kg/d and 1ml of pineapple juice in distilled water orally; Group 2 was given 100mg/kg/d Aluminum Chloride and 1.5 ml of in distilled water orally; group 3 was given 100 mg/kg/day aluminum chloride and 2 ml of pineapple juice in distilled water orally; group 4 was given 100 mg/kg/day aluminum chloride and 2.5 ml of pineapple juice in distilled water orally. Testicular histology, semen parameters, and testosterone were assessed. Results This study showed a significant (P < 0.05) decrease in testicular volume, motile sperm count, concentration, total count, progressive evaluation, and morphology in the negative control group relative to the normal control and extract control groups. In the groups co-treated with aluminum chloride and Ananas comosus extract, there was improvement in sperm volume, motility, total count, progressive assessment, and morphology. There was also a statistical decrease (P < 0.05) in testosterone hormone in the negative control group, but there was an increase in the aluminum chloride and Ananas comosus extract co-treated groups. Similarly, in co-treated aluminum chloride and Ananas comosus extract, the degenerative seminiferous tubule histoarchitecture due to aluminum chloride in the negative control group was enhanced. Conclusion Based on this current study, it was evident that aluminum chloride induced oxidative stress and retarded reproduction in males whereas Ananas comosus mitigated reproduction in males by improving sperm parameters and microarchitecture of the testes.