Bioscience Journal (Feb 2023)

Effects of Rooibos (Aspalathus linearis) on the Testicular Parenchyma of Adult BALB/C Mice Submitted to a Hypercaloric Diet

  • Hilara Niemeyer Ruas,
  • João Vitor Lopes-Ferreira,
  • Fernanda Carolina Ribeiro Dias,
  • Maria Emília Soares Martins dos Santos,
  • Angelica de Oliveira Gomes,
  • Mariella Bontempo Freitas,
  • Marcos de Lucca Moreira Gomes

DOI
https://doi.org/10.14393/BJ-v39n0a2023-64537
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 39
pp. e39030 – e39030

Abstract

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Oxidative stress due to obesity plays a detrimental role in the testicular microenvironment and sperm parameters. We explored the impact of a hypercaloric diet in male BALB/c mice as a condition to trigger damage to the spermatogenic process and the antioxidant effect of Aspalathus linearis as well. We used a hypercaloric diet in animals divided into 3 groups: Control, Hypercaloric diet control (HC) and Hypercaloric diet and Rooibos infusion (HCR). Morphometric parameters, enzyme dosages, cell viability, and tubular histopathology were evaluated. Body weight increased in HCR animals at weeks 3, 4, and 8. We found a reduction in seminiferous epithelium height, with an increase in the tubular diameter of the HCR group. Catalase levels were lower in HC and HCR, while carbonyl protein was decreased in HC. We estimate that it induces oxidative stress (OS) capable of affecting the seminiferous epithelium and that the infusion of A. linearis does not demonstrate a potential benefit in cell preservation.

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