RESUMO
Background@#The clinical use of sildenafil citrate (Viagra), a drug used to treat erectile dysfunction, is limited because of its many side effects on tissues. In this context, we aimed to investigate the protective effects of hesperidin, a citrus flavonoid, on hepatic and testicular damage induced by a high dose of sildenafil citrate in male rats. Rats were randomly divided into four groups. The first group was used as the control group. The second group was orally administered sildenafil citrate at a high dose of 75 mg/kg thrice a week. In the third group, hesperidin was administered orally at a dose of 50 mg/kg/day. The fourth group was administered 75 mg/kg sildenafil citrate three times a week with 50 mg/kg hesperidin daily. The experiment lasted for 28 days. @*Results@#In the sildenafil-treated groups, blood indices were altered, liver function tests were deranged, and serum testosterone levels were reduced. In the liver and testicular tissue, sildenafil citrate treatment resulted in significant reductions in catalase and total antioxidant capacity; as well as increased malondialdehyde, reactive oxygen species, and nitrous oxide levels. In addition, sildenafil citrate treatment caused abnormal histopathological patterns in both the liver and the testes. Liver vascular endothelial growth factor and testicular steroidogenic acute regulatory protein gene expression were upregulated. @*Conclusions@#Hesperidin attenuated the harmful effects of intensive sildenafil citrate treatment on liver and testicular functions, alleviated oxidative stress and normalized blood indices. Therefore, hesperidin could be protective against sildenafil citrate-induced oxidative damage that may develop over the long term.
RESUMO
Sulfasalazine is a drug commonly used for the treatment of inflammatory bowel diseases such as ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease. However, the histological changes in the testes are not well defined. Also, orange and grapefruit peels are powerful antioxidants that have come into use recently for the treatment of infertility. This study aimed to elucidate the histological, immunohistochemical, and ultrastructural changes in the testes after sulfasalazine treatment and evaluate the possible protective role of orange and grapefruit peel extracts. This study included 48 adult male albino rats divided into six equal groups: the control group [group I]; the orange peel extract group [group II]; the grapefruit peel extract group [group III]; the sulfasalazine group [group IV]; the sulfasalazine and orange peel extract group [group V]; and the sulfasalazine and grapefruit peel extract group [group VI]. At the end of the experiment [2 weeks], all animals were sacrificed and their testes were excised. Paraffin sections were prepared and stained with H and E and immunohistochemical staining was performed for proliferating cell nuclear antigen. Other pieces of the testis were used for ultrastructural study. Sulfasalazine was shown to affect the testes. The changes were in the form of irregular degenerated seminiferous tubules, germ cells, decrease in proliferating cell nuclear antigen, ultrastructural alterations of spermatogenic cells, and thickened basement membranes. These changes were present in some tubules in the testes. Treatment with orange or grapefruit peel extracts proved to improve these changes. Sulfasalazine has deleterious effects on the structure of the testes and supplementation with orange or grapefruit peel extracts with sulfasalazine can overcome the toxicity of sulfasalazine on the testis and protect testicular tissue from the detrimental effects of sulfasalazine