Antioxidant potential of garlic oil supplementation prevents cyclophosphamide-induced oxidative testicular damage and endocrine depletion in rats

Abstract

Cyclophosphamide is an alkylating anticancer agent with strong efficacy; however, its clinical use is constrained because of its off-target multiple organ toxicity, and one of them is testicular injury. We assayed to explore whether garlic oil (GO) could prevent cyclophosphamide (CYP)-induced testicular oxidative stress and hormonal deficit in male rats. Rats were pretreated with GO for 21 days before a single injection of CP (50 mg/kg, ip). The total phenol and flavonoids of GO were estimated as well as its antioxidant capacity using DPPH and FRAP assays. CYP induced prominent depression in testicular activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), and reduced glutathione (GSH) level, whereas levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) markedly increased and confirmed by histopathological alterations. Serum levels of testosterone, FSH and LH were considerably reduced. Interestingly, the GO supplementation attenuated the biochemical changes in the testis, enhanced the hormone levels and alleviated the histological injury. The IC₅₀ of GO in DPPH assay was comparable to that of standard. GO is capable of protecting the testis from CYP toxicity via its antioxidant property. The findings suggest GO beneficial effects in male cancer patients undergoing CYP chemotherapy.