RUTA GRAVEOLENS EXTRACT AMELIORATES TESTICULAR DAMAGE INDUCED BY ACRYLAMIDE IN RATS

SOHAIR, ALI,; MARWA, FAROUK,; Ahmed, Mai A.M.; MAI A.M., AHMED,; KHALED, RADAD,

doi:10.21608/avmj.2025.368682.1632

RUTA GRAVEOLENS EXTRACT AMELIORATES TESTICULAR DAMAGE INDUCED BY ACRYLAMIDE IN RATS

Document Type : Research article

Authors

¹ Department of Veterinary Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Assiut University, Assiut, Egypt

² Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Assiut University, Assiut, Egypt

10.21608/avmj.2025.368682.1632

Abstract

Due to the increasing reliance on processed food in our fast-paced world, exposure of people to acrylamide becomes inevitable, resulting in lifelong harm, most notably, to reproductive organs. The present study aimed to explore the ameliorative effects of Ruta graveolens hydroalcoholic extract against testicular damage and functional impairment induced by acrylamide in Sprague-Dawley rats. Thirty two rats were equally divided into 4 groups; the control group received normal saline (0.5 ml/rat). Acrylamide group treated with acrylamide (30 mg/kg b.w). Acrylamide and Ruta graveolens extract group co-administered with acrylamide (30 mg/kg b.w) and the extract (200 mg/kg b.w). Ruta graveolens group received only the extract (200 mg/kg b.w.). Normal saline, acrylamide and the extract were given orally for 3 weeks. Acrylamide significantly decreased the sperm concentration, initial sperm motility, and the percentage of live and normal sperms, and did not affect testosterone levels. Moreover, it insignificantly decreased GSH and increased MDA levels. Histopathologically, depletion in seminiferous epithelium and formation of multinucleate giant cells were constant lesions in most acrylamide-treated rats. There was also sloughing of seminiferous epithelial cells and stasis of seminiferous tubule fluid in the lumina of seminiferous tubules in some rats. On the other hand, concomitant treatment of rats with acrylamide and the extract significantly ameliorated the deleterious effect of acrylamide on sperm indices and markedly improved the histological architecture of testicular tissues. In conclusion, Ruta graveolens extract protects against acrylamide-induced testicular damage and improves rats’ reproductive function. Elucidating Ruta graveolens underlying mechanisms is further needed.

Keywords