Verbascoside attenuates experimental varicocele-induced damage to testes and sperm levels through up-regulation of the hypothalamus-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis

Figures & data

Table 1. The effect of the VB on weights of body and testis.

	Control	Control-sham	VCL-vehicle	VCL + VB50	VCL + VB 100	VCL + VB 200
Initial body weight (g)	349.73 ± 16.52	351.23 ± 11.72	346.29 ± 18.73	348.93 ± 16.78	349.38 ± 18.25	353.26 ± 24.12
Final boday weight (g)	439.23 ± 25.78	413.56 ± 28.35	403.23 ± 29.43	408.15 ± 36.72	402.13 ± 14.31	407.25 ± 36.13
Right testis (g)	2.35 ± 0.21	2.13 ± 0.14	2.07 ± 0.09	2.06 ± 0.15	1.99 ± 0.17	2.01 ± 0.05
Left testis (g)	2.36 ± 0.13	2.10 ± 0.16	1.14 ± 0.26^#	1.29 ± 0.31^#	1.79 ± 0.21*	1.93 ± 0.16*

Data are presented in mean ± SD. *p < 0.05 vs. VCL-vehicle group, ^#p < 0.05 vs. Control group.

Table 2. The effect of the VB on sperm count and viability.

	Control	Control-sham	VCL-vehicle	VCL + VB 50	VCL + VB 100	VCL + VB 200
Sperm count (×10^6/mL)	129.36 ± 9.13	114.70 ± 8.61	45.16 ± 12.86^#	69.23 ± 10.29*	71.69 ± 8.41*	96.93 ± 9.16*
Sperm viability (%)	80.23 ± 0.13	81.70 ± 7.16	41.14 ± 9.92^#	59.29 ± 6.27*	65.45 ± 5.32*	84.93 ± 4.16*

Data are presented in mean ± SD. *p < 0.05 vs. VCL-vehicle group, ^#p < 0.05 vs. Control group.

Figure 1. Histologic findings in testis. (A) Histological changes in the testis. Original magnifications 100×, 200×. (B) Spermatogenic cell density. (C) Johnsen’s score of the seminiferous tubules. *p < 0.05 vs. VCL-vehicle group, ^#p < 0.05 vs. Control group.

Figure 2. TUNEL assays for the measurement of germ cell apoptosis. (A) TUNEL-staining in each group. Original magnifications 400× (B) Mean apoptotic nuclei/tubule. (C) Apoptotic tubules (%). *p < 0.05 vs. VCL-vehicle group, ^#p < 0.05 vs. Control group.

Figure 3. The hormone levels in each group. (A) LH levels. (B) FSH levels. (C) testosterone levels. (D) GnRH levels. *p < 0.05 vs. VCL-vehicle group, ^#p < 0.05 vs. Control group.

Figure 4. Testicular antioxidant status in each group. (A) MDA levels. (B) SOD levels. (C) GSH levels. (D) GPx levels. *p < 0.05 vs. VCL-vehicle group, ^#p < 0.05 vs. Control group.

Figure 5. The protein levels of GnRH and GnIH. (A) Western-blot was performed to determine the GnRH and GnIH level in each group. (B) Quantification of GnRH expression. (C) Quantification of GnIH expression. *p < 0.05 vs. VCL-vehicle group, ^#p < 0.05 vs. Control group.