EFFECT OF GRAPE SEED EXTRACT, GERVITAL, AGAINST METHOTREXATE INDUCED HISTOLOGICAL AND ULTRASTRUCTURAL ALTERATIONS IN TESTES OF ALBINO RATS
Samah M. Arisha*
ABSTRACT
The present study was designed to investigate the effect of Gervital on
testicular damage induced by the anticancer drug, methotrexate
(MXT), in adult male albino rats. Forty male albino rats (Rattus
norvegicus) were divided into five experimental groups (8 animals in
each one) Group 1: served as control group. Group 2: animals of this
group were orally administered grape seed extract only at a dose level
of 150mg/kg body weight daily for 28 days. Group 3: animals of this
group were intraperitoneally injected with a single dose of MXT
(8mg/kg body weight) per week for 4 weeks. Group 4: animals of this
group were intraperitoneally injected with a single dose of MXT followed by grape seed
extract (GSE) daily for 28 days. Group 5: animals of this group were pretreated with GSE
followed by MXT. At the end of the experimental period, all rats were sacrificed. Blood
samples were collected for the biochemical study and testes were removed and prepared for
histological and ultrastructural studies. Results: Methotrexate significantly reduced the final
body and testes weight. Histological observations: several pathological changes were
observed in the testicular tissues. These changes include degenerated seminiferous tubules,
distorted spermatogenic cells and degenerated interstitial tissue with hemorrhage.
Ultrastructural examination showed various severe degenerated features after MXT
treatment including types A&B spermatogonia, round and elongated spermatids. On the other
hand, GSE administration showed advanced degree of improvement in all the
histopathological and ultrastructural changes; the testicular tissues appeared mostly normal.
Biochemical analysis revealed that MXT injection significantly reduced serum testosterone
level and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity while, it significantly elevated
malondialdehyde (MDA) level. Otherwise, administration of gervital restored the previous biochemical changes to mostly normal level. The protective effect of gervital may be due its
antioxidant and free radicals scavenging activities. The present study concluded that grape
seed may improve the testicular toxicity induced by methotrexate.
Keywords: gervital, methotrexate, testes, histopathological, ultrastructure, biochemical.
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