Protective Effect of Hesperetin on Nicosulfuron-Induced Testicular Oxidative Stress in Male Wistar Rats

Abstract

Nicosulfuron is a post-emergence herbicide used to control weeds while hesperetin found in citrus fruits has been reported to have anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, and antioxidant properties. This study was designed to investigate the ameliorative properties of Hesperetin on Nicosulfuron-induced reproductive oxidative stress in male Wistar rats. Twenty-four male wistar rats weighing 200 ± 20g were assigned to different groups, each with six animals. Group A serves as the control group and were administered distilled water only. Group B received 25 mg/kg body weight (B.W.) Nicosulfuron. Group C were co-administered with 25 mg/kg B.W. Nicosulfuron and 100 mg/kg Hesperetin while animals in group D received 100 mg/kg B.W. Hesperetin. All treatment lasted for 14 days. An increase in the percentage of sperm with abnormal morphology (23.07%) in the group exposed to Nicosulfuron was observed. Sperm motility, testicular Ascorbic acid, reduced glutathione (GSH) levels were reduced significantly in the Nicosulfuron-treated group by 20.33%, 48.11%, and 41.10% respectively. Also, GST, Catalase, and SOD activities were significantly down-regulated in the Nicosulfuron-treated group. Furthermore, as compared to the control group, the Nicosulfuron-treated group had significantly higher activity of testicular acid phosphatase (ACP), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), MDA, and NO levels. However, co-treatment of Nicosulfuron and Hesperetin significantly ameliorated the Nicosulfuron-induced changes in sperm morphology, motility; testicular ascorbic acid, GSH, NO levels; SOD, CAT, GST, ALP, and ACP activities. The result from this study indicates that Hesperetin, due to its antioxidant properties, protects against testicular oxidative stress induced by Nicosulfuron exposure.