Vol 12 Issue 4 October 2025-December 2025
Kalu, W.O., Nwauche, K.T., Iroaganachi, M. A., David-Chukwu, N., Nmeregini, G.K.
Abstract: In this study, the toxic effect of cyclophosphamide (CYP) on sperm morphology, testicular histology and oxidant–antioxidant balance, and protective roles of Urtica dioca (UD) was investigated. For this purpose, 25 healthy, adult, male albino rats were divided into five groups; five animals in each group. The control group was treated with placebo, the disease control was treated with CYP 10mg/kg body weight, the remaining groups were treated with UD 1000mg/kg only, CYP 10mg/kg + UD 500mg/kg and CYP 10mg/kg + UD 1000mg/kg for 14days. At the end of the experimental period, body weight of the animals were checked, all the groups were sacrificed blood samples collected and organs harvested for histopathological analysis after which the enzymatic and non-enzymatic stress biomarkers, hormone profile, inflammatory markers, heamatological indices, hepatic-renal functionality biomarkers, lipid profile levels, morphological abnormalities of sperm and testicular histopathological changes were examined. CYP induced decrease in testicular activities of catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), reduced glutathione (GSH) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) level, whereas levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) increased markedly and was confirmed by histopathological result. Serum levels of testosterone, FSH and LH were considerably reduced. Co-treatment with UD, ameliorated the biochemical changes in the testis, improved the hormone levels and alleviated the histological injury. CYP-induced lipid peroxidation lead to the structural damages in spermatozoa and testicular tissue of rats, and UD have shown to have a protective effect on these types of damage.
Keywords: Urtica dioca, Cyclophosphamide, Oxidative stress, Testosterone, Antioxidant.
Title: Protective Effects of Urtica dioca Against Cyclophoshamide-Induced Testicular Damage and Endocrine Loss in Rat Testis
Author: Kalu, W.O., Nwauche, K.T., Iroaganachi, M. A., David-Chukwu, N., Nmeregini, G.K.
International Journal of Recent Research in Interdisciplinary Sciences (IJRRIS)
ISSN 2350-1049
Vol. 12, Issue 4, October 2025 - December 2025
Page No: 9-24
Paper Publications
Website: www.paperpublications.org
Published Date: 15-December-2025