Investigating the effect of Nigella sativa on the testicular function of first-generation offspring of mice treated with titanium oxide nanoparticles.

Objective: Nanoparticles include primary particles with at least one of their dimensions being less than 100 nm. The goal of this research was to determine the possible protective role of Nigella sativa (NS) against toxic effects mediated by titanium oxide nanoparticle (TNP).

Materials and methods: 30 adult mice (10 males and 20 females) were used. After mating, the pregnant female mice were randomly divided into 4 study groups (n=5 mice in each group). From the 13th day of gestation until delivery, the mice were given TNP and NS. After delivery, 10 newborn male mice were selected from each group and kept under standard conditions until puberty according to the previous grouping (4 groups). The epididymis of each mouse was removed and the sperm was collected for the evaluation of in vitro fertilization and testis for histopathology and spermatogenesis of in vitro fertilization of first-generation mice.

Results: No significant difference was observed between the NS group and the control group (p>0.05). In the TNP, a degree of epithelial lysis and a significant decrease in sperm motility was observed (p<0.05) compared with the control group. In the TNP and NS group, NS had an ameliorating effect on TNP-induced testicular germ cell damage (p<0.05).

Conclusion: In the present study, it was found that NS had no destructive effect on the germinal epithelium. However, NS had an ameliorating effect on TNP-induced testicular germ cell damage in mice.