STUDY OF PROTECTIVE EFFECTS OF CROCIN ON TESTICULAR HISTOMORPHOMETRYAND SEROLOGICAL PARAMETERS INCYCLOPHOSPHAMIDE ON TREATED ADULT MICE

According to the effects of cyclophosphamide (CP) as a current
chemotherapeutic drug on the structure of testis, this study was aimed to evaluate the protective effects
of crocin on histological structure of seminiferous tubules, superoxide dismutase, malondialdehyde
and testosterone in CP treated adult mice.
Material & Methods: In this experimental study, 15 adult male mice were treated in 3 groups: control,
sham control, and experimental group. The control group received normal saline (0.2ml/day), control
sham group received cyclophosphamide (15 mg/kg/week, IP) and experimental group received crocin
(200 mg/kg/day.IP) along with cyclophosphamide, respectively. Superoxidedismutase (SOD) and
testosterone were measured in blood serum. Testicular samples also were used for histomorphometric
studies and malondialdehyde (MDA) measurement.
Results: It was revealed that Tubular Differentiation Index (TDI), Republication Index (RI), thickness
of capsule, the numbers of active Sertoli cells, amount of SOD and testosterone were increased
significantly in control and experimental groups compared to sham control (p<0.05), and
Spermiogenesis Index (SI) in control and experimental groups were increased in compare with sham
control group,but that was not significant in experimental group. Also MDA was increased
significantly in sham control group compared to other groups (p<0.05).
Conclusion: This study showed that crocin increases antioxidant enzymes and testosterone. However,
it reduced testicular histopathological changes in CP treated mice.