The effects of a Cratoxylum formosum (Jack) Dyer ssp. (CF) extract on testicular damage were assessed in hypertensive rats. Nω -nitro-L-arginine methyl ester hydrochloride (L-NAME; 40 mg kg-1 day-1 ) was administered for 5 weeks to induce hypertension in male Sprague-Dawley rats, and treated with CF extract (100, 300 or 500 mg kg-1 day-1 ) or sildenafil (5 mg kg-1 day-1 ) during the final 2 weeks (n = 8/group). Biochemical components of the CF extract were identified and mainly contained phenolic compounds. The CF extract significantly reduced systolic blood pressure and alleviated impaired sperm quality and seminiferous tubular morphology in hypertensive rats. CF extract restored reduced serum testosterone and protein expression of steroidogenic acute regulatory protein (StAR), nuclear factor erythroid-related factor 2 (Nrf2), and haem oxygenase 1 (HO-1) in L-NAME rats. Hypertensive rats presented decreased antioxidant enzyme activities, and increased testicular and plasma malondialdehyde (MDA) levels and superoxide production, all of which were normalised by CF extract. Furthermore, endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) expression in testicular tissue and plasma nitrate/nitrite levels were restored in hypertensive rats administered CF extract. Conclusion: CF extract alleviated testicular damage in hypertensive rats. Potential molecular mechanisms may involve suppression of oxidative stress and restoration of StAR, Nrf2, HO-1 and eNOS expression in hypertensive rats.
Keywords: Cratoxylum formosum; oxidative stress; phenolic compounds; testicular dysfunction; the nuclear factor erythroid-related factor 2.
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