Efeito da turquesterona na espermatogênese de ratos Wistar

Abstract

Phytoecdysteroids exert an impact on various physiological functions and have wide experimental application in the pharmacological field, with considerable use in studies with mammals, including humans. Turkesterone is a phytotherapeutic agent widely used for its benefits in muscle strength, stomach and muscle pain, as well as its protective action against heart disease. However, the effects of this compound on testicular function, more specifically on testosterone metabolism and sperm production, are unknown. Thus, this study aims to evaluate the effects of turkesterone on spermatogenesis and testicular function in Wistar rats. Forty young adult animals were used, divided into 4 groups of 10 animals, treated with increasing concentrations of turkesterone (10, 30 and 100 mg/kg) for 56 days. An analysis of testicular oxidative stress was performed, quantifying the activity of catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), malondialdehyde (MDA), total antioxidant activity (FRAP), nitric oxide (NO), and glutathione S-transferase (GST), alongside testicular morphometric analyses (biometry of seminiferous tubules and germ cells), cell counts, estimates of daily sperm production, tubular length, tubulosomatic and epitheliosomatic indices, and histopathological analyses of the testicular parenchyma. Biometric, morphological, stereological, and histopathological results remained unchanged, showing no deleterious effects on testicular structure; however, a significant increase in the mitotic index was observed in the T30 group compared to the Control and T10 groups. While this increase was notable, it was not drastically out of line with the overall data and was linked to a rise in round spermatids, which also resulted in a significant increase in the PDE in the T30 group compared to the Control. Conversely, nitric oxide (NO) levels decreased in the T30 and T100 groups compared to the others, and the T30 group exhibited lower total antioxidant capacity (FRAP). These changes in FRAP and NO indicate that turkesterone altered the redox balance, though not to an extent that caused testicular damage.