Abatement of the dysfunctional hypothalamic–pituitary–gonadal axis due to ciprofloxacin administration by selenium in male rats

Abstract

The present study examined the influence of selenium on ciprofloxacin‐mediated reproductive dysfunction in rats. The research design consisted of five groups of eight animals each. The rats were administered 135 mg/kg body weight of ciprofloxacin per se or simultaneously with selenium at 0.25 and 0.5 mg/kg for 15 uninterrupted days. Antioxidant and inflammatory indices were assayed using the testes, epididymis, and hypothalamus of the animals after sacrifice. Results revealed that ciprofloxacin treatment per se interfered with the reproductive axis as demonstrated by diminished serum hormonal levels, sperm quality, and enzymatic indices of testicular function, which were, however, abrogated following selenium co‐treatment. Besides this, administration of selenium attenuated the depletion of glutathione level, inhibition of catalase, superoxide dismutase, glutathione‐S‐transferase and glutathione peroxidase activities with a concomitant reduction in reactive oxygen and nitrogen species, and lipid peroxidation in ciprofloxacin‐treated in rats. Selenium treatment also mitigated ciprofloxacin‐mediated elevation in nitric oxide level and of myeloperoxidase activity as well as histological lesions in the animals. Overall, selenium attenuated impairment in the male reproductive axis due to ciprofloxacin treatment through abatement of inflammation and oxidative stress in rats.

Did the COVID-19 Pandemic Increase the Incidence of Acute Macular Neuroretinopathy?

“…Apart from the sometimes fatal respiratory syndrome, COVID-19 leads to multi-visceral complications associated with inappropriate immune and inflammatory response [ 2 ], endothelial dysfunction and thromboembolic disorders [ 3 ]. Damage to the central and peripheral nervous system [ 4 , 5 ] was reported, including the autonomous nervous system that showed dysregulation at the early [ 6 ] and late phases of the disease [ 7 , 8 ].…”

Exogenous taurine administration abates reproductive dysfunction in male rats exposed to silver nanoparticles

“…64 The semi-quantitative assessment of testicular and epididymal lesions were done as previously described. 65 Briefly, caudal epididymis with no visible effect was scored 0; slight modifications, normal sperm count with 5-10 necrotic cells in the efferent ductules was scored 1; moderate modifications, moderate sperm count decrease with 11-50 necrotic cells was scored 2; marked modifications, marked sperm count decrease with more than 50 necrotic cells was scored 3 whereas severe modifications with a marked reduction in sperm count in the efferent ducts was scored affected) was scored 0; slight modifications (5%-25% tubules affected) was scored 1; moderate modifications (25%-50% tubules affected) was scored 2; marked modifications (50%-75% tubules affected) was scored 3 whereas severe modifications (more than 75% tubules affected) was scored 4.…”

Selenium in Bodily Homeostasis: Hypothalamus, Hormones, and Highways of Communication

“…Perhaps most notably, an enzymatically inert GPX4 isoform acts as a structural component of spermatozoa and is indispensable for sperm motility [ 275 ]. Additionally, selenium plays a largely protective role through redox regulation and has been shown to attenuate reproductive impairment in males of various species following exposure to many different injurious compounds, including DEHP [ 276 ], di-n-butyl phthalate (DBP) [ 277 ], diclofenac [ 278 ], lead [ 279 ], ciprofloxacin [ 280 ], mercury [ 281 ], and dexamethasone [ 263 ]. In the cases of DEHP, DBP, diclofenac, and lead exposure in rats, selenium similarly mitigated testicular injury by maintaining testosterone, LH, and FSH levels.…”

“…In laying hens, selenium attenuated the effects of mercury exposure by elevating LH, FSH, progesterone, and estradiol levels closer to those of controls [ 281 ]. Ciprofloxacin treatment is associated with elevated ROS levels [ 282 ], which can induce reproductive dysfunction in males [ 280 , 282 ]. These deleterious effects include reductions in serum hormone levels, poor sperm quality, testicular impairment, depletion of GSH, inhibition of catalase, SOD, glutathione-S-transferase, and GPX, as well as elevation in nitric oxide levels and myeloperoxidase activity; all of which were observed to be ameliorated by selenium co-treatment [ 280 ].…”

“…Ciprofloxacin treatment is associated with elevated ROS levels [ 282 ], which can induce reproductive dysfunction in males [ 280 , 282 ]. These deleterious effects include reductions in serum hormone levels, poor sperm quality, testicular impairment, depletion of GSH, inhibition of catalase, SOD, glutathione-S-transferase, and GPX, as well as elevation in nitric oxide levels and myeloperoxidase activity; all of which were observed to be ameliorated by selenium co-treatment [ 280 ]. Selenium treatment was also shown to protect against the deleterious effects of dexamethasone on male fertility and sperm parameters in mice [ 263 ].…”