Therapeutic Potential of Nigella sativa Oil against Phthalate-induced Testicular Damage in Adult Wistar Rats
Di-butyl phthalate (DBP) is a widely distributed environmental toxicant known to compromise male reproductive function through oxidative and inflammatory damage to testicular tissue. Nigella sativa oil (NSO), a natural compound with established antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, has been proposed as a potential protective agent against such toxicity. This study investigated the protective effects of NSO on DBP-induced testicular injury in adult male Wistar rats. Forty rats were randomly assigned to five groups: control, NSO-only (2 mL/kg), DBP-only (500 mg/kg), NSO plus DBP, and DBP withdrawal. Treatments were administered for 35 days. Testicular histomorphology was assessed using hematoxylin and eosin and periodic acid–Schiff staining, while oxidative stress (malondialdehyde, glutathione peroxidase, reduced glutathione), inflammatory markers (myeloperoxidase, interleukin-10), and reproductive hormones (testosterone, luteinizing hormone, follicle-stimulating hormone) were quantified. DBP exposure resulted in severe testicular degeneration, including seminiferous tubular disruption, germ cell loss, and basement membrane thickening, accompanied by increased malondialdehyde and myeloperoxidase levels, reduced glutathione peroxidase and interleukin-10, and altered antioxidant balance (p < 0.05). Co-administration of NSO significantly attenuated these changes by preserving testicular architecture, reducing oxidative and inflammatory markers, and enhancing antioxidant defenses. Testosterone levels were significantly elevated in the NSO-treated group compared with controls, while luteinizing and follicle-stimulating hormones remained unchanged. Although DBP withdrawal led to partial recovery, residual oxidative and inflammatory damage persisted. These findings revealed that NSO demonstrates significant protective potential against DBP-induced testicular toxicity through antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and hormonal modulatory mechanisms.
Key Words: Nigella sativa oil, di-butyl phthalate, oxidative stress, testosterone, histopathology, antioxidants