Phyllanthus emblica leaf extract ameliorates testicular damage in rats with chronic stress

Abstract

Stress affects the male reproductive system and can cause sub-fertility or infertility. Although Phyllanthus emblica L. (PE) extract has been shown to have high antioxidant capacity and protective properties in damaged tissue, the preventive effects of PE extract on testicular function from stress-related impairment have never been demonstrated. This study aimed to investigate the effects of PE aqueous leaf extract on testicular impairment and protein marker changes in rats suffering from chronic stress. Adult male rats were divided into four groups: a control group, a chronic stress (CS) group, and two groups with CS that received different doses of PE extract (50 or 100 mg/kg body weight (BW)). In the treatment groups, the animals were given PE extract daily before stress induction for 42 consecutive days. Stress was induced through immobilization (4 h/d) followed by forced cold swimming (15 min/d). Sperm quality and the histology of the testes and caudal epididymis were examined, as were levels of serum corticosterone, testosterone, and malondialdehyde (MDA). The expressions of testicular steroidogenic acute regulatory (StAR) and tyrosine-phosphorylated proteins were investigated using immuno-Western blot analysis, as these proteins are assumed to play important roles in spermatogenesis and androgen synthesis. The results showed that PE (50 mg/kg BW) significantly increased sperm concentration and testosterone levels, while decreasing corticosterone levels, MDA levels, sperm head abnormalities, and acrosome-reacted sperm in CS rats. In addition, PE at both doses was found to diminish testicular histopathology in the CS rats. We also found that 50 mg/kg BW of PE significantly improved StAR protein expression and altered the intensities of some tyrosine-phosphorylated proteins in testis. We conclude that PE leaf extract at 50 mg/kg BW can prevent testicular damage in rats with CS.

摘要

目的

探讨Phyllanthus emblica L.(PE)叶提取物对慢性应激大鼠睾丸损伤和相关蛋白标志物变化的影响。

方法

将成年雄性大鼠分成四组:对照组、慢性应激(CS)组和两组PE 提取物治疗组(50 或100 mg/kg 体重(BW))。对各组的精子质量、睾丸和尾附睾的组织学特征、以及血清皮质酮、睾酮和丙二醛 (MDA)的水平进行分析比较。并使用免疫印迹 分析研究睾丸类固醇合成快速调节蛋白(StAR)和酪氨酸磷酸化蛋白的表达。

结论

结果显示,50 mg/kg BW 的PE 能显着增加精子浓度和睾酮水平,同时降低CS 大鼠中皮质酮水平、MDA 水平、以及精子头异常和顶体反应精子的比例。此外,两种剂量的PE 都能缓解CS 大 鼠的睾丸组织病理学特征。同时我们还发现, 50 mg/kg BW 的PE 可以显著提高StAR 蛋白的表达,并改变睾丸中部分酪氨酸磷酸化蛋白的强 度。总之,50 mg/kg BW 的PE 叶提取物可以预防CS大鼠的睾丸损伤。