Ethanolic Extract of Radish Sprout (Raphanus Sativus L.) Prevents Bisphenol A-Induced Testicular Dysfunction in Male Rats

Abstract

This study was designed to investigate the potential reproductive health benefits of Raphanus sativus L. (radish) sprout ethanolic extract (RSE) in a bisphenol A (BPA)-exposed rat model of testicular disorders and to identify the bioactive components of RSE. RSE and its butanolic layer (RSE-BuOH) exhibited the strongest total antioxidant capacity, as determined using the oxygen radical absorbance capacity method. The RSE-BuOH was fractionated using chromatography with active guided fractionation, and 10 major compounds were identified in gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis. Among them, 3-hexyl-1-cyclopentene and 2-cyclopentene-1-tridecanoic acid were confirmed to be the major components. In addition, administration of RSE significantly restored body weight, testes weight and sperm cell rate in BPA-exposed rats. In particular, administration of RSE-BuOH to BPA-exposed rats significantly increased sperm cell rate and serum testosterone level. These results suggest that RSE may attenuate reproductive dysfunction caused by BPA-induced oxidative stress in male rats. Practical Applications Oral exposure of bisphenol A (BPA) is known to alter endocrine functions and weaken reproduction by decreasing semen quality in humans. Oxidative stress induced by BPA affects semen quality and damages sperm DNA. This is the first study to evaluate the beneficial effects of radish sprout (RS) on male reproductive dysfunction in BPA-exposed rats. The study enhances the understanding of the mechanisms by which the antioxidants in RS ethanolic extracts protect sperm against oxidative stress, and provides a basis for the development of food supplements from RS, a widely consumed food ingredient with few side effects.