Lab Anim Res.  2013 Dec;29(4):204-211. 10.5625/lar.2013.29.4.204.

Protective effect of diallyl disulfide on cyclophosphamide-induced testicular toxicity in rats

• Kim SH
• Lee IC
• Baek HS
• Moon C
• Kim SH
• Kim JC

• KMID: 1716215
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.5625/lar.2013.29.4.204

Abstract

This study investigated the protective effects of diallyl disulfide (DADS) against cyclophosphamide (CP)-induced testicular toxicity in male rats. DADS was gavaged to rats once daily for 3 days at 100 mg/kg/day. One hour after the final DADS treatment, the rats were given a single intraperitoneal dose of 150 mg/kg CP. All rats were killed and necropsied on day 56 after CP treatment. Parameters of testicular toxicity included reproductive organ weight, testicular sperm head count, epididymal sperm motility and morphology, epididymal index, and histopathologic examinations. The CP treatment caused a decrease in body weight, testicular sperm head count, epididymal sperm motility, and epididymal index. The histopathological examination revealed various morphological alterations, characterized by degeneration of spermatogonia/spermatocytes, vacuolization, and decreased number of spermatids/spermatocytes in the testis, and cell debris and mild oligospermia in the ductus epididymis. In contrast, DADS pretreatment effectively attenuated the testicular toxicity caused by CP, including decreased sperm head count, epididymal sperm motility, and epididymal index and increased histopathological alterations in the testis and epididymis. These results indicate that DADS attenuates testicular toxicity induced by CP in rats.

Keyword

Cancer chemotherapy; cyclophosphamide; testicular toxicity; diallyl disulfide; protective effect

MeSH Terms

Animals
Body Weight
Cyclophosphamide
Epididymis
Humans
Male
Oligospermia
Organ Size
Rats*
Sperm Head
Sperm Motility
Testis
Cyclophosphamide

Figure

• 

  Figure 1 Changes in mean body weights of male rats treated with effects of DADS on CP-induced changes in the mean body weights. Statistical analysis was performed using one-way ANOVA followed by the Tukey's multiple comparison test. Data are expressed as means±SD. *P<0.05 compared with the control group. **P<0.01 compared with the control group.

• 

  Figure 2 Representative photographs of testis sections treated with CP and/or DADS. Testis from vehicle (A) treated rats showing normal appearance. However, testis from a CP treated rat (B and C) showing degeneration of spermatocyte/spermatogonia (black arrow), vacuolization (white arrow), and decreased number of spermatids/spermatocytes (black arrow head). Testis from a CP&DADS treated rat (D) showing degeneration of spermatogonia. H&E stain. Bar=10 µm. 400.

• 

  Figure 3 Representative photographs of epididymis sections treated with CP and/or DADS. Caudal epididymides from vehicle control (A) and DADS (D) treated rats showing normal luminal contents. However, caudal epididymis from a CP treated rat (B) showing cell debris in ducts and mild oligospermia. Caudal epididymis from a CP&DADS treated rat (C) showing mild cell debris in ducts. H&E stain. Bar=10 µm. 200.

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