Bitter Apple Retains Testicular Cellular Integrity in Doxorubicin-exposed Mice

Background: Testiculopathy is one of the major limitations of doxorubicin (DOX) application in chemotherapy strategies. The goal of this study was to reveal the possible repro-protective properties of Citrullus colocynthis pulp hydroalcoholic extract (CCE) against DOX-induced testicular histoarchitectural disintegration in mice.Methods: A total of 36 adult male mice were randomly divided into groups of 6 animals per group. Doxorubicin was administered to four groups of mice in 6 equal intraperitoneal injections over a period of 5 weeks (accumulated dose of 9 mg/kg). Three DOX-treated groups received CCE at a dose of 50, 100 and 200 mg/kg intraperitoneally four hours after DOX treatment, respectively. Vehicle-treated control group and CCE-only treated group were also included.Result: The DOX-only treated mice exhibited conspicuous hypospermatogenesis and noticeable destructive changes in testicular tissue. However, testicular histoarchitecture was markedly protected by CCE co-administration in a dose-dependent manner.Conclusion: The present study finds that DOX-evoked testicular degeneration in mice could be ameliorated by CCE treatment, offering new insights into complementary medicine.

کلیدواژه ها:

Doxorubicin ، Histology ، Mouse ، Testis ، Citrullus colocynthis