RESUMO
Previous studies showed that exposure to stress or nicotine induced reproductive impairment in male rats. Here, we assessed the effect of an antioxidant (vitamin E) on nicotine-, stress- and nicotine + stress-induced reproductive impairment in male rats. Forty-eight male albino Wistar rats were divided into eight groups as follows; control, stress (generator noise 90-120 dB, 8 hr/day), nicotine (1.5 mg kg-1 day-1 ), nicotine + stress, vitamin E (100 mg kg-1 day-1 ), stress + vitamin E, nicotine + vitamin E and stress + nicotine + vitamin E. Sperm count, viability, motility and rapid progressive forward movement decreased significantly (p < 0.05), while percentage of nonmotile spermatozoa increased significantly (p < 0.05) in stress, nicotine and nicotine + stress groups, compared with control. Serum testosterone and follicle-stimulating hormone decreased significantly (p < 0.05) in stress, nicotine and nicotine + stress groups, compared with control. Serum luteinising hormone decreased (p < 0.05) significantly in stress and nicotine + stress groups, compared with the control. Histology of the testes showed loss of germ cells in numerous seminiferous tubules, and epididymal histology showed decreased sperm density in stress, nicotine and nicotine + stress groups compared with the control. These negative changes were more severe in the nicotine + stress group. Vitamin E ameliorated the negative changes in the above parameters. This may be attributable to its antioxidant property.
