Radiation-induced Testicular Injury and Its Amelioration by Telfairia occidentalis.

ABSTRACT

Aims: The radioprotective effect of Telfairia occidentalis aqueous extract (TOE) against gamma irradiation induced oxidative damage and altered sperm parameters in rats. Study Design: Randomized controlled experiment Place and Duration of Study Experimental Animal Unit and Department of Anatomy, University of Ibadan between January and April, 2012. Methodology: Male Wistar strain rats were divided into six groups and pretreated with TOE (400, 800 and 1600 mg/kg of b.wt.) and vitamin E (VE) 50 mg/kg of b.wt prior to whole body gamma irradiation exposure of 2Gy. Sections of the testes were taken for the assessments of biochemical markers of oxidative stress Lipid peroxidation (LPO), Superoxide dismutase (SOD), Catalase (CAT) and Glutathione (GSH) and histopathological variations. Results: Exposure of animals to 2Gy gamma radiation resulted in decreased sperm characteristics and increased sperm morphological abnormalities; significant elevation in lipid peroxidation (LPO) and hydrogen peroxides, and decreased activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione-s-transferase (GST), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) and levels of reduced glutathione (GSH) in testes; distorted architecture of seminiferous tubules from day 1 to 30 post-irradiation. The rats pretreated with TOE showed normal sperm parameters, normal testicular histo-architecture and normal antioxidant enzymatic activities. Conclusion: Aqueous extract of Telfairia occidentalis has radioprotective activities.