Attenuation of quinine-induced testicular toxicity by ascorbic acid in rat: a stereological approach

Abstract

Quinine (QU), an alkaloid derive d from the cinchona bark is presently the mainstay of treatment f r sever e malaria and nocturnal leg cramps. We have recently demonstrated that QU is toxic to testicular gonocytes and interstitial endocrinocytes. This present study sought to determine whether co-administration of ascorbic acid (AA) with QU will modify the deleterious effects o f QU on the testes of Sprague-Dawley rats. 50 male Sprague-Dawley rats weighing 160 - 180g were used for the experiments. The animals were randomly divided into 5 groups of 10 rats each and were variously administered QU for 7 days, QU for 8 weeks, QU plus AA for 7 days, QU plus AA for 8 weeks and distilled water. They were all sacrificed on the 56th day. Histological slides of the testes were prepared and morphometric parameters that included diameter and cross-sectional area of the seminiferous tubules, number of profiles of seminiferous tubules per unit area of testis and numerical density of the seminiferous tubules, volume density and absolute volume of testicular components were determined using a systematic random scheme. Our results showed that the cytoarchitecture of seminiferous tubules of rats treated with QU only was grossly distorted, while that of rats that had both QU and AA was not significantly different from that of the controls.