Potential Protective Effects of Tribulus terrestris Extract (TTE) against Reproductive Damage Induced by Cytarabine (Ara-C) Chemotherapy in Male Rats: Histopathological Study

Abstract

The cytotoxic effects of many cancer medications cause different general side effects and defects in spermatogenesis, so still a concern that requires additional enhancement. The study was performed to assess the preventive benefits of Tribulus terrestris extract (TTE) against reproductive damage induced by cytarabine (Ara-C) chemotherapy. Twenty mature male rats will be divided into four groups. Each group contains 5 rats. A control group is included in the first group, T. terrestris extract (250 mg/kg) is given to the second group, Ara-C (25 mg/kg BW) is given to the third group, and the fourth group receives both an oral dose of TTE (250 mg/kg BW) and an intraperitoneal dosage of Ara-C (25 mg/kg BW) for a total of 28 days. After the end of the experiment tissue samples in testes and epididymis are taken for the necessary histopathological changes that revealed detectable spermatogenesis degeneration. Treatment caused spermatocytes disruption, significant histopathological alterations, rounded, shrunken seminiferous tubules with less cellular epithelium, degeneration in germinal epithelium represented by depletion with damaged Leydig cells, and this may result in reduced rat fertility. The results of the study indicate that Tribulus terrestris exhibits significant histological alterations, as evidenced by an increase in sperm growth, in contrast to Ara C group, which displayed some detrimental effects.