Tehran University of Medical Sciences

Science Communicator Platform

Stay connected! Follow us on X network (Twitter):
Share this content! On (X network) By
Elderberry Diet Improves Sperm Quality and Histological Parameters of Testicular Tissue in Adult Male Rats Exposed to Methamphetamine Publisher Pubmed



Hemmatparast H1, 2 ; Mofarahe ZS2 ; Abdollahifar MA2 ; Ezi S3 ; Khanjari G2 ; Amini NB2 ; Niakan Z2 ; Raee P2 ; Moghaddam MH4 ; Fathi M5 ; Vakili K5 ; Beirami A2 ; Hasanzadeh M2 ; Hajibeygi R6 Show All Authors
Authors
  1. Hemmatparast H1, 2
  2. Mofarahe ZS2
  3. Abdollahifar MA2
  4. Ezi S3
  5. Khanjari G2
  6. Amini NB2
  7. Niakan Z2
  8. Raee P2
  9. Moghaddam MH4
  10. Fathi M5
  11. Vakili K5
  12. Beirami A2
  13. Hasanzadeh M2
  14. Hajibeygi R6
  15. Aliaghaei A1
  16. Sani M7
  17. Norouzian M1, 2
Show Affiliations
Authors Affiliations
  1. 1. Men's Health and Reproductive Health Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
  2. 2. Department of Biology and Anatomical Sciences, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
  3. 3. Department of Anatomical Sciences, School of Medicine, Gonabad University of Medical Sciences, Gonabad, Iran
  4. 4. Department of Anatomical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, AJA University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
  5. 5. Student Research Committee, Faculty of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
  6. 6. Advanced Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology Research Center (ADIR), Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
  7. 7. SNSI-SaniNeuroSapiens Institute, Hanover, Germany

Source: Tissue and Cell Published:2025


Abstract

Psychotropic stimulants like methamphetamine (METH) have an impact on the physiology, behavior, and psychology of human beings and can damage the reproductive and neuroendocrine systems in them. These deleterious impacts include a temporary drop in the relative weight of the testis along with adverse effects on spermatogenesis. Sambucus nigra, also known as elderberry (EB) or sweet elder, is a source of bioactive compounds that has drawn growing attention for its potential beneficial impact in preventing and treating several diseases. In this experimental research, 36 adult male rats were classified into three groups: (1) control, (2) METH, and (3) METH receiving the EB diet. The rats were injected with METH at a dose of 20 mg/kg for 28 days during treatment with the EB diet. Then, the rats were euthanized, and their sperm samples were collected for sperm parameters analysis. Afterward, the testis samples were taken for histopathological experimentations, immunohistochemistry against TNF-α and caspase-3, and serum testosterone levels. Our findings indicated largely improved sperm and stereological parameters, like spermatogonia, primary spermatocyte, round spermatid, and Leydig cells, and an increased serum testosterone level in the METH group receiving the EB diet compared to the other METH group. The results also revealed a significantly decreased TNF-α and caspase-3 expression in the METH+EB group compared to the METH group. In conclusion, the EB diet is regarded as an alternative treatment for improving the spermatogenesis process in reproductive toxicity induced by METH exposure. © 2025 Elsevier Ltd
Related Docs
1. Reproductive Status of Male Rat Offspring Following Exposure to Methamphetamine During Intrauterine Life: An Experimental Study, International Journal of Reproductive BioMedicine (2023)
2. Melatonin Affects Membrane Integrity, Intracellular Reactive Oxygen Species, Caspase3 Activity and Akt Phosphorylation in Frozen Thawed Human Sperm, Cell and Tissue Research (2018)
3. Aqueous Origanum Vulgare Extract Improves the Quality of Cryopreserved Human Spermatozoa Through Its Antioxidant Effects, Biopreservation and Biobanking (2020)
4. An Overview on the Reproductive Toxicity of Graphene Derivatives: Highlighting the Importance, Nanotechnology Reviews (2022)
5. Retinoic Acid Loaded With Chitosan Nanoparticles Improves Spermatogenesis in Scrotal Hyperthermia in Mice, Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine (2023)
Experts (# of related papers)
View all Related Experts
Mahdi Vazirian (1)
Reza Asadi-Golshan (1)