Ameliorating effect of pomegranate juice consumption on carbon tetrachloride-induced sperm damages, lipid peroxidation, and testicular apoptosis

Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate whether pomegranate juice (PJ) consumption has an ameliorating effect on carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-induced sperm damages and testicular apoptosis associated with the oxidative stress in male rats. The study comprised of four groups (groups 1-4). Group 1 received olive oil + distilled water daily; group 2 was treated with 5 ml/kg PJ + olive oil daily; group 3 was treated with 0.25 ml/kg CCl4 dissolved in olive oil, weekly + distilled water daily; and group 4 received weekly CCl4 + daily PJ. All administrations were performed by gavage and maintained for 10 weeks. CCl4 administration caused significant decreases in body and reproductive organ weights, sperm motility, concentration and testicular catalase activity, significant increases in malondialdehyde (MDA) level, and abnormal sperm rate and apoptotic index along with some histopathological damages when compared with the control group. However, significant ameliorations were observed in absolute weights of testis and epididymis, all sperm quality parameters, MDA level, apoptotic index, and testicular histopathological structure following the administration of CCl4 together with PJ when compared with group given CCl4 only. In conclusion, PJ consumption ameliorates the CCl4-induced damages in male reproductive organs and cells by decreasing the lipid peroxidation.

Attenuation of perfluorooctanoic acid-induced testicular oxidative stress and apoptosis by quercetin in mice

“…19,22,23 Environmental pollutants, such as carbon tetrachloride, 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-pdioxin and polychlorinated biphenyl, can result in testicular histopathological lesions and decreased reproductive organ weights. [24][25][26][27][28] In the present study, PFOA-induced testicular damage in mice was evidenced by decreased testicular weight, reduced epididymal sperm count and disorganized seminiferous epithelium, which might be consequences of elevated oxidative stress and excessive apoptosis in the testis. It has been demonstrated that PFOA exposure reduces testosterone biosynthesis and production.…”

An evidence-based approach to medicinal plants for the treatment of sperm abnormalities in traditional Persian medicine

“…Administration of fruit juice to male Wistar rats showed significant improvement in sperm parameters compared to control group (Turk et al., ). Daily consumption of this juice improved sperm cell abnormalities following testicular torsion–detorsion and carbon tetrachloride intoxication in rats (Al‐Olayan et al., ; Atilgan et al., ; Dkhil et al., ; Turk et al., , ). Moreover, fruit juice showed protective effect against structural sperm changes induced by bisphenol A (El Ghazzawy et al., ).…”

Chlorella vulgaris supplementation effects on performances, oxidative stress and antioxidant genes expression in liver and ovaries of New Zealand White rabbits

“…Lipid peroxidation is the chief oxidative stress effect and most prevalent form of oxidative stress compromise at cellular level; it is a toxic process to the cells causing cell loss of membrane integrity, cell death and activation of genetic programme cell death [33]. Compromised reproductive inefficiencies in male such as spermatozoa dysfunctions, low epididymis sperm concentrations, poor sperm motility and abnormal sperm morphology are also linked with increasing lipid peroxidation [34]. In female, infertility triggered by endometriosis is also reportedly linked with increased production of oxidative stress products specifically increasing levels of malondialdehyde; furthermore, lipid peroxidation is also mechanism of oxidative stress associated withdecline oocytes quality [35, 36].…”