We investigated the protective effect of the folic acid (FA) against bisphenol-A (BPA) induced toxicity in rat testis. We used four groups of seven adult male Wistar albino rats. The control group was fed corn oil, the BPA group was given BPA, the FA group was given FA and the FA + BPA group was given FA initially followed by BPA 1 h later. The BPA, FA and corn oil were administered by oral gavage for 14 days. At the end of the experiment, testis sections were examined for histological and histomorphometric characteristics. The TUNEL method was used to detect apoptosis and immunohistochemistry was used to examine the distribution of spermatogonial stem cells. Levels of serum testosterone were measured, and sperm viability and morphology were determined. The histological structure of the testis was normal in the control and FA groups. Although the number of TUNEL positive cells/tubule increased, the seminiferous epithelium height (SEH) at stages VII−VIII decreased in the BPA group compared to the control, FA and FA + BPA groups. The number of TUNEL positive cells/tubule decreased and the SEH at stages VII−VIII increased in the FA + BPA group compared to the BPA group. No significant difference in spermatogonial stem cells was found among groups. The level of serum testosterone and percentage of viable sperm was significantly lower, while the head, midpiece and total sperm abnormalities were significantly higher in the BPA treated group compared to control, FA, FA + BPA groups. It appears that the toxic effects of BPA on testis might be minimized by FA treatment.

The present study was conducted to investigate the antioxidant, histomorphometric, histochemical, immunohistochemical, biochemical, and cytological effects of coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) against bisphenol-A (BPA)-induced testicular toxicity in rats. A total of 40 adult male Wistar rats were divided into five equal groups. The control group remained untreated. The vehicle control group was administered corn oil (2 ml/kg/day), the BPA group was given BPA (100 mg/kg/day), the CoQ10 group was supplemented with CoQ10 (10 mg/kg/day), and the rats in the CoQ10-BPA group received CoQ10 (10 mg/kg/day) followed by BPA (100 mg/kg/day) 1 h later. The treatments were administered by oral gavage for 14 days. Results showed that the seminiferous tubule diameters (STDs) and seminiferous epithelium heights (SEHs) at stages VII–VIII and XII–XIV, number of undifferentiated embryonic cell transcription factor-1 (UTF-1) positive cells per tubule, UTF-1 positive tubules (%), plasma glutathione (GSH), and serum superoxide dismutase activities, testicular GSH activity and sperm viability (%) decreased whereas the number of terminal dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) positive cells per tubule, TUNEL positive tubules (%), testicular and serum malondialdehyde (MDA) levels, and the rate of mid-piece sperm abnormality increased in the BPA administered group. However, while the STDs at stages VII–VIII and XII–XIV, SEHs at stages VII–VIII, plasma GSH, and serum SOD activities increased, serum MDA level decreased in the CoQ10-BPA group. In conclusion, these results suggest a protective effect of CoQ10 against BPA-induced testicular toxicity in rats.

This study investigated the protective effects of quercetin (QUE) in doxorubicin (DOX)-induced testicular toxicity in rats. In the present study, testicular histomorphometry, the number of terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase (TdT)-mediated deoxyuridine triphosphate (dUTP)-biotin nick end labeling (TUNEL) assay, superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity and malondialdehyde (MDA) level in testes, and sperm parameters were studied in DOX exposed rats following QUE supplementation. The rats were randomly divided into five groups: control, sham, DOX, QUE and QUE + DOX; respectively. At the end of the experiment, the rats were killed and testes were isolated for epididymal sperm analysis, testicular histopathology and measurement of endogenous antioxidants. The results showed a significant increase in TUNEL positive cells per tubule, TUNEL positive tubules (%), testicular MDA, and total sperm abnormalities (%). However, seminiferous epithelial heights (SEHs) in stages VII–VIII seminiferous tubules of the spermatogenic cycle, testicular SOD activity, and sperm viability (%) decreased in the DOX group compared to the control, sham, and QUE groups. There was a significant difference in SEHs in stage VII–VIII tubules, TUNEL positive cells per tubule, and TUNEL positive tubules (%) between the DOX and QUE + DOX groups. Overall, the supplementation with QUE is beneficial in reducing the toxic effects of DOX in testicular architecture and sperm production by enhancing antioxidant activity and decreasing MDA.