Quercetin and rutin ameliorates sulphasalazine‐induced spermiotoxicity, alterations in reproductive hormones and steroidogenic enzyme imbalance in rats

Abstract

Certain dietary flavonoids exhibit protective potentials against drug-induced male reproductive toxicities. We investigated the protective effects of quercetin and rutin on sulphasalazine-induced alterations in steroidogenic enzyme activity, hormone profile and spermiotoxicity in rats. Sulphasalazine (SASP, 600 mg/kg bw) was administered alone or in combination with quercetin (20 mg/kg bw) or rutin (10 mg/kg bw) for 14 days. SASP treatment significantly increased relative weights of the epididymis and seminal vesicles. Also, testicular and epididymal sperm numbers (TSN, ESN), motility, daily sperm production (DSP) and acrosome reaction (AR) significantly decreased. SASP altered plasma testosterone, luteinising hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) levels while testicular cholesterol levels, 3β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (3β-HSD) and 17β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (17β-HSD) activities were decreased. Elevated malondialdehyde levels and concomitant decrease in reduced glutathione, glutathione-S-transferase, peroxidase and superoxide dismutase activities were evident in testis and epididymis of SASP-treated rats. Quercetin or rutin co-treatment with SASP significantly reversed organ weights, preserved sperm integrity, restored plasma hormone levels and increased cholesterol levels, 3β-HSD and 17β-HSD activities in testis. Both flavonoids also prevented oxidative stress in testis and epididymis of SASP-treated rats. Quercetin and rutin protect against the negative effects of SASP treatment on reproductive capacity in male rats.

Impact of quercetin supplementation on testicular functions in summer heat-stressed rabbits

“…An improvement in testicular architecture of Que-BR rabbits under HS might be due to antioxidant property of quercetin. The current findings were supported by earlier reports where protective effects of quercetin against histological damage induced by different toxic agents were observed (Sonmez et al, 2014;Altintas et al, 2015;Khorsandi et al, 2017;Osawe and Farombi, 2018;Badr et al, 2019).…”

Peripheral neurotoxic effects of cisplatin on rats and treatment with rutin

“…21 In another study, GST levels significantly increased with the use of rutin. 22 Both results were replicated in our experiment.…”

Testosterone in Males as Enhanced by Onion (Allium Cepa L.)

“…Moreover, adult male albino rats with atrazine-induced reproductive toxicity administered quercetin at 10 mg −1 kg −1 of body weight for 21 days had higher levels of testosterone compared with the control [49]. Furthermore, quercetin at 20 mg −1 kg −1 of body weight for two weeks restored plasma testosterone induced by sulphasalazine in male rats [50]. Recently, it has been shown that quercetin at 20 mg −1 kg −1 of body weight for 28 days is able to attenuate testosterone depletion induced by cadmium chloride in male Wistar rats [51].…”

“…Recently, it has been shown that quercetin at 20 mg −1 kg −1 of body weight for 28 days is able to attenuate testosterone depletion induced by cadmium chloride in male Wistar rats [51]. Such protective effects may be attributable to the antioxidant activity of quercetin as it was found to increase the activity of testicular antioxidants (superoxide dismutase, glutathione reductase, and catalase) and significantly reduce the level of malondialdehyde in testicular tissue [47,50,52].…”