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Effectiveness of cinnamon (Cinnamomum zeylanicum) bark oil in the prevention of carbon tetrachloride-induced damages on the male reproductive system

In this study, it was aimed to investigate the likelihood of detrimental effects of carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) on male reproductive system through oxidative stress mechanism and also protective effects of cinnamon bark oil (CBO). For this purpose, 28 healthy male Wistar rats were divided into four groups, seven rats in each. Group 1 received only olive oil daily; group 2 was treated with 100 mg kg−1 CBO daily; group 3 was treated with only 0.25 ml kg−1 CCl4 weekly; and group 4 received weekly CCl4 + daily CBO. All administrations were made by intragastric catheter and maintained for 10 weeks. Body and reproductive organ weights, sperm characteristics, testicular oxidative stress markers and testicular apoptosis were examined. CCl4 administration caused significant decreases in body and reproductive organ weights, testicular catalase (CAT) activity, sperm motility and concentration, and significant increases in lipid peroxidation (LPO) level, abnormal sperm rate and apoptotic index along with some histopathological damages compared with the control group. However, significant improvements were observed in absolute weights of testis and epididymis, all sperm quality parameters, LPO level, apoptotic index and testicular histopathological structure following the administration of CCl4 together with CBO when compared to group given CCl4 only. The findings of this study clearly suggest that CBO has protective effect against damages in male reproductive organs and cells induced by CCl4.

Quercetin attenuates carbon tetrachloride‐induced testicular damage in rats

This study was conducted to investigate the effect of quercetin on carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)‐induced sperm damages, testicular apoptosis and oxidative stress in male rats. Group 1 served as control, group 2 was treated with only quercetin, group 3 was treated with only CCl4 and group 4 received CCl4 + quercetin. All administrations were performed by gavage and maintained for 10 weeks. CCl4 administration caused significant decreases in absolute and relative reproductive organ weights, sperm motility, concentration and testicular glutathione peroxidase (GSH‐Px) and catalase (CAT) activities, and significant increases in lipid peroxidation (LPO) level, abnormal sperm rate and testicular apoptotic cell index, along with some histopathological damages when compared to the control group. However, administration of CCl4 together with quercetin provided statistically significant improvements in LPO level, abnormal sperm rate, the degree of histopathological lesions and testicular apoptotic cell index when compared to only CCl4 group. In addition, improvements observed in absolute and relative weights of reproductive organs, sperm motility and concentration, and testicular GSH‐Px and CAT activities in group 4 were statistically insignificant when compared to only CCl4 group. In conclusion, quercetin has antiperoxidative effect, and its oral administration attenuates the CCl4‐induced some damages in male reproductive organs and cells by decreasing the LPO.

Effects of cinnamon (Cinnamomum zeylanicum) bark oil on testicular antioxidant values, apoptotic germ cell and sperm quality.

Cinnamon and its contents have multifactorial properties such as antioxidant, anti‐inflammatory and antidiabetic. Male infertility is one of the major health problems in life. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of long‐term cinnamon bark oil (CBO) ingestion on testicular antioxidant values, apoptotic germ cell and sperm quality of adult rats. Twelve male healthy Wistar rats were divided into two groups, each group containing six rats. While olive oil was given to control group, 100 mg kg−1 CBO was administered to the other group by gavage daily for 10 weeks. Body and reproductive organ weights, sperm characteristics, testicular lipid peroxidation and antioxidant enzyme activities, and testicular apoptosis via terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase–mediated dUTP nick end labelling (TUNEL) method were examined. A significant decrease in malondialdehyde level and marked increases in reduced glutathione level, glutathione peroxidase and catalase activities were observed in rats treated with CBO compared with the control group. CBO consumption provided a significant increase in weights of testes and epididymides, epididymal sperm concentration, sperm motility and diameter of seminiferous tubules when compared with the control group. However, CBO consumption tended to decrease the abnormal sperm rate and apoptotic germ cell count, but it did not reach statistical significance. It is concluded that CBO has improvement effect on testicular oxidant–antioxidant balance and sperm quality, and its consumption may be useful for asthenozoospermic men.

Ameliorating effect of pomegranate juice consumption on carbon tetrachloride-induced sperm damages, lipid peroxidation, and testicular apoptosis

The aim of this study was to investigate whether pomegranate juice (PJ) consumption has an ameliorating effect on carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-induced sperm damages and testicular apoptosis associated with the oxidative stress in male rats. The study comprised of four groups (groups 1–4). Group 1 received olive oil + distilled water daily; group 2 was treated with 5 ml/kg PJ + olive oil daily; group 3 was treated with 0.25 ml/kg CCl4 dissolved in olive oil, weekly + distilled water daily; and group 4 received weekly CCl4 + daily PJ. All administrations were performed by gavage and maintained for 10 weeks. CCl4 administration caused significant decreases in body and reproductive organ weights, sperm motility, concentration and testicular catalase activity, significant increases in malondialdehyde (MDA) level, and abnormal sperm rate and apoptotic index along with some histopathological damages when compared with the control group. However, significant ameliorations were observed in absolute weights of testis and epididymis, all sperm quality parameters, MDA level, apoptotic index, and testicular histopathological structure following the administration of CCl4 together with PJ when compared with group given CCl4 only. In conclusion, PJ consumption ameliorates the CCl4-induced damages in male reproductive organs and cells by decreasing the lipid peroxidation.

Dietary rosemary oil alleviates heat stress-induced structural and functional damage through lipid peroxidation in the testes of growing Japanese quail

Supplementation of natural antioxidants to diets of male poultry has been reported to be effective in reducing or completely eliminating heat stress (HS)-induced reproductive failures. In this study, the aim is to investigate whether rosemary oil (RO) has a protective effect on HS-induced damage in spermatozoa production, testicular histologic structures, apoptosis, and androgenic receptor (AR) through lipid peroxidation mechanisms in growing Japanese quail. Male chicks (n=90) at 15-days of age were assigned to two groups. The first group (n=45) was kept in a thermo-neutral (TN) room at 22°C for 24h/d. The second group (n=45) was kept in a room with a greater ambient temperature of 34°C for 8h/d (from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM) and 22°C for 16h/d. Animals in each of these two groups were randomly assigned to three subgroups (RO groups: 0, 125, 250ppm), consisting of 15 chicks (six treatment groups in 2×3 factorial design). Each of subgroups was replicated three times with each replicate including five chicks. The HS treatment significantly reduced the testicular spermatogenic cell counts, amount of testicular Bcl-2 (anti-apoptotic marker) and amount of AR. In addition, it significantly increased testicular lipid peroxidation, Bax (apoptotic marker) immunopositive staining, and the Bax/Bcl-2 ratio in conjunction with some histopathologic damage. Dietary supplementation of RO to diets of quail where the HS treatment was imposed alleviated HS-induced almost all negative changes such as increased testicular lipid peroxidation, decreased numbers of spermatogenic cells, and decreased amounts of Bcl-2 and AR, increased ratio of Bax/Bcl-2 and some testicular histopathologic lesion. In conclusion, dietary supplementation of RO for growing male Japanese quail reared in HS environmental conditions alleviates the HS-induced structural and functional damage by providing a decrease in lipid peroxidation.

Effect of cinnamon (Cinnamomum zeylanicum) bark oil on heat stress-induced changes in sperm production, testicular lipid peroxidation, testicular apoptosis, and androgenic receptor density in developing Japanese quails

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of cinnamon bark oil (CBO) on heat stress (HS)-induced changes in sperm production, testicular lipid peroxidation, testicular apoptosis, and androgenic receptor (AR) density in developing Japanese quails. Fifteen-day-old 90 male chicks were assigned to two main groups. The first group (45 chicks) was kept in a thermoneutral room at 22 °C for 24 h/day. The second group (45 chicks) was kept in a room with high ambient temperature at 34 °C for 8 h/day (from 9 AM-5 PM) and at 22 °C for 16 h/day. Each of these two main groups was then divided into three subgroups (CBO groups 0, 250, 500 ppm) consisting of 15 chicks (six treatment groups in 2 × 3 factorial order). Each of subgroups was replicated for three times and each replicate included five chicks. Heat stress caused significant decreases in body weight, spermatid and testicular sperm numbers, the density of testicular Bcl-2 (antiapoptotic marker) and AR immunopositivity, and significant increases in testicular lipid peroxidation level, the density of testicular Bax (apoptotic marker) immunopositivity, and a Bax/Bcl-2 ratio along with some histopathologic damages. However, 250 and 500 ppm CBO supplementation provided significant improvements in HS-induced increased level of testicular lipid peroxidation, decreased number of spermatid and testicular sperm, decreased densities of Bcl-2 and AR immunopositivity, and some deteriorated testicular histopathologic lesions. In addition, although HS did not significantly affect the testicular glutathione level, addition of both 250 and 500 ppm CBO to diet of quails reared in both HS and thermoneutral conditions caused a significant increase when compared with quails without any consumption of CBO. In conclusion, HS-induced lipid peroxidation causes testicular damage in developing male Japanese quails and, consumption of CBO, which has antiperoxidative effect, protects their testes against HS.

Effects of Fresh, Ensiled and Dried Alfalfa on Free Radical Damage and Some Antioxidants in the Blood of Lambs

Bu calismada, taze, silaj ve kuru yoncanin kuzularin kanindaki serbest radikal hasari ve antioksidan sistem uzerine etkileri arastirilmistir. Bu amacla, calismada 40 adet Akkaraman erkek kuzu (yas: 4 aylik, canli agirlik: 21 kg) kullanilmistir. Arastirma rasyonlari izonitrojenik ve izokalorik olarak hazirlanmis ve rasyonlarda kullanilan yonca formu deneme gruplarini olusturmustur: bugday samani-kontrol grubu (K), taze yonca grubu (TY), yonca silaji grubu (SY) ve kuru yonca grubu (KY). Hayvan Denemesi, 10 gun alistirma ve 98 gun ornekleme olmak uzere toplam 108 gun surdurulmustur. Kuzularin jugular veninden kan ornekleri alinarak MDA, GSH, Cu duzeyleri ile KAT, GSH-Px aktiviteleri olculmusur. Denemede en yuksek plazma MDA ve Cu duzeyleri taze yonca grubunda gorulurken, en dusuk degerler ise kuru yonca grubunda gozlenmistir (P 0.05). Sonuc olarak taze yonca ile beslenen hayvanlarda plazma MDA duzeyinin yuksek olmasi yine yuksek seviyede bulunan Cu’in prooksidan etkisinden kaynaklanabilir. Antioksidan enzimlerden katalaz aktivitesinin yuksek olmasi serbest radikal hasarina karsi artan bir savunma seklinde yorumlanabilir.