Comparative study between the flavonoids extracted from Nigella sativa seeds and vitamin E to ameliorating the effect of sodiumnitrate on some testicular functions in adult male rats

Abstract

The present study was designed to investigate the protective effect of flavonoids extracted from Nigella Sativa seeds comparing to vitamin E in ameliorating the deleterious effect of sodium nitrate on some testicular function in adult male rats. Twenty adult male rats were randomly divided into four equal groups and treated for 120 days as follows: Group T1 (control) animals in this group were treated with normal saline; while animal in group T2 were daily treated with sodium nitrate 30mg/kg. B.W; animals in group T3 were daily treated with sodium nitrate 30 mg/kg B.W plus 50 mg of flavonoids extracted from Nigella Sativa and animals in group T4 were daily treated with sodium nitrate 30 mg/kg B.W plus 40 mg/kg B.W vitamin E. At the end of experiment animals were scarified and right testes were obtained to calculate testicular weight / body weight ratio and histological sections were prepared for measuring the thickness of cell lining the seminiferous tubules and the diameter of the tubules. Live and dead sperms were calculated by using left epididymis. The results pointed that a significant decrease in testes to body weight ratio and significant decrease in live sperms percentage, increased dead sperms percentage as well as decreased both seminiferous tubules diameter and cell lining seminiferous tubules in group T2. Administration of flavonoids extracted from Nigella sativa seeds (group T3) and vitamin E (group T4) ameliorated the deleterious effect of sodium nitrate on male reproductive system. Histological examination showed edema of basement membrane of seminiferous tubules and fibrous connective tissue proliferation and incomplete spermatogenesis in animals treated with sodium nitrate (group T2) comparing to control, while animals in group T3 showed moderate edema and thickness of basement membrane of seminiferous tubules and normal spermatogenesis, the results also showed moderate edematous interstitial tissue and congestion of blood vessels and moderate to normal spermatogenesis in group T4. In conclusion, flavonoids extracted from Nigella sativa seeds and vitamin E play an important role as anti-oxidant against the oxidative effect induced by sodium nitrate on testicular function in adult male rats.