Abstract:
The present study was conducted to investigate the possible protective effects of lycopene (LC) and ellagic
acid (EA) on cyclophosphamide (CP)-induced testicular and spermatozoal toxicity associated with the oxidative stress and
apoptosis in male rats. Forty-eight healthy adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into six groups of eight rats each.
The control group was treated with placebo; the LC, EA and CP groups were given LC (10 mg kg−1), EA (2 mg kg−1)
and CP (15 mg kg−1), respectively, alone; the CP+LC group was treated with a combination of CP (15 mg kg−1) and
LC (10 mg kg−1); and the CP+EA group was treated with a combination of CP (15 mg kg−1) and EA (2 mg kg−1). All
treatments were maintained for 8 weeks. At the end of the treatment period, bodyweight and the weight of the reproductive
organs, sperm concentration and motility, testicular tissue lipid peroxidation, anti-oxidant enzyme activity and apoptosis
(i.e. Bax and Bcl-2 proteins) were determined. Administration of CP resulted in significant decreases in epididymal sperm
concentration and motility and significant increases in malondialdehyde levels. Although CP significantly increased the
number of Bax-positive (apoptotic) cells, it had no effect on the number of Bcl-2-positive (anti-apoptotic) cells compared
with the control group. However, combined treatment of rats with LC or EA in addition to CP prevented the development
of CP-induced lipid peroxidation and sperm and testicular damage. In conclusion, CP-induced lipid peroxidation leads to
structural and functional damage, as well as apoptosis, in spermatogenic cells of rats. Both LC and EA protect against the
development of these detrimental effects.
