Melatonin ameliorates oxidative stress and reproductive toxicity induced by cyclophosphamide in male mice

Abstract

The present study evaluated the efficacy of melatonin in cyclophosphamide (CP)-induced testicular injury, lipid peroxidative damage, and antioxidant enzymes status of the mice testis on the basis of biochemical and histological studies. Mice were pretreated with four different doses of melatonin (2.5, 5, 10, and, 20 mg/kg by body weight (b.w.)) via intraperitoneal injection for five consecutive days followed by injection with CP (200 mg/kg b.w.) 1 h after the last injection of melatonin on the 5th day. After 24 h, mice were euthanized, testes were immediately removed, and biochemical and histological studies were conducted. Treatment with melatonin significantly mitigates lipid peroxidation, superoxide dismutase, and catalase activity and the level of reduced glutathione content abnormality induced by CP in mice testis. Histological examination clearly demonstrates that pretreatment of melatonin prevented CP-induced spermatogenesis toxicity and spermatogenic cells reduction in mice testis. The protective effect of melatonin is likely due to the antioxidative properties of the indolamine existed in the chemical structure. Because melatonin is a safe, natural compound, it could be used concomitantly as a supplement to protect people undergoing chemotherapy against reproductive toxicity.

Keywords: Melatonin; cyclophosphamide; oxidative stress; reproductive toxicity; testicular toxicity.