Abstract
The present study was undertaken to find out the adverse effects of cyclophosphamide on testicular activities along with testicular oxidative stress at its therapeutic dose and the protective effects of f -tocopherol succinate on testicular dysfunctions induced by cyclophosphamide in mature albino rats. A significant diminution in the activities of testicular j 5 , 3 g -hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (HSD) and 17 g -hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (HSD) along with significant reduction in the plasma level of testosterone and number of spermatogonia-A (ASg), preleptotene spermatocytes (pLSc), midpachytene spermatocytes (mPSc) and step 7 spermatids (7Sd) at stage VII of spermatogenic cycle were observed following cyclophosphamide treatment. Oxidative stress was also noted in testis, which was enlightened by significant elevation in the level of malondialdehyde (MDA) and conjugated dienes along with significant reduction in the activities of testicular peroxidase and catalase. Co-administration of f -tocopherol succinate in cyclophosphamide-treated rats resulted a significant restoration of all the above-mentioned parameters to the control level. The results of our experiment suggest that cyclophosphamide treatment at its clinical dose is associated with antigonadal activities as well as induction of oxidative stress in gonad that can be ameliorated significantly by f -tocopherol succinate co-administration. So, our data have some potential clinical implications.