ABSTRACT
Stanozolol [ST] is a synthetic anabolic-androgenic steroid often abused by athletes. An increasing body of evidence points towards the role of ST misuses in the pathogenesis of a wide range of adverse effects including reprotoxicity. The aim of this study was to analyze the possible reproprotective effect of royal jelly [RJ] as an efficient antioxidant in ST-treated mice. Adult male mice were divided into four groups [n=5]. Two groups of mice received ST [4.6 mg/kg/day] via gavage for 35 days. RJ was given orally to one of these groups at the dose level of 100 mg/kg body weight per day synchronously. Untreated control group and RJ-only treated group were also included. Epididymal sperm characteristics and in vitro fertilizing capacity were evaluated after 35 days. ST treatment caused a significant [p < 0.05] decrease in sperm count and motility and fertilization rate along with poor blastocyst formation and increased sperm DNA damage. Moreover, the incidence of apoptosis and abnormality in spermatozoa was significantly [p < 0.05] higher in ST-exposed mice than those of control. The above-mentioned parameters were restored to near normal level by RJ co-administration. Data from the current study suggest that RJ has a potential repro-protective action against ST-induced reproductive toxicity in mice. However, clinical studies are warranted to investigate such an effect in human subjects