Azadeh Vafaei
1, Shabnam Mohammadi
2*, Alireza Fazel
1, Mohammad Soukhtanloo
3, Abbas Mohammadipour
1, Farimah Beheshti
41 Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, School of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
2 Neurogenic Inflammation Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
3 Department of Clinical Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
4 Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
Abstract
Background: Ceratonia
silique has
antioxidant activities that may inactivate toxic factors and influence
sperm quality. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, there is no available
data on the effects of carob on male fertility. Hence,
the purpose of this
study was to investigate the effects of carob on sperm quality, testicular
structure, and level of testosterone hormone in busulfan-induced infertile
mice.
Methods: Sixty-four adult male mice were
randomly divided into 8 groups (control, sham, busulfan and carobs 1 to 5). The
busulfan group was injected a single dose of 10 mg/kg busulfan
intraperitoneally. Carobs 1 to 5 groups received intraperitoneal doses of 800,
400, 200, 100 and 50 mg/kg of carob extract plus a single dose of 10 mg/kg
busulfan for 35 days. The sperm analysis, morphometric study, testosterone
levels and oxidative stress determination were done on the 35th day of the
experiment.
Results: The lowest percentage of sperm
parameters was related to the busulfan group and the highest was related to the
carobs 1 and 2 groups. The seminal vesicles index of the carob 1 group showed a
significant increase as compared to the busulfan group (p < 0.001). A
significant increase was observed in the mean value of germinal epithelium
thickness, as well as thiol and catalase levels in carobs 1 and 2 groups as
compared to the busulfan group (p < 0.001). There was a significant increase
in the mean level of testosterone in the carob groups as compared to the
busulfan group (p < 0.001). Also, there was a significant decrease in the
mean value of malondialdehyde level in the carobs 1 and 2 groups p < 0.001)
and a significant increase in the mean value of superoxide dismutase enzyme in
the carob groups as compared to the busulfan group (p < 0.001).
Conclusion: Administration of 800 mg/kg of carob extract
for 35 days improved sperm quality, biochemical parameters, thickness of
germinal epithelium and testosterone levels in infertile mice induced by
busulfan.