α-Tocopherol ameliorates nickel induced testicular oxidative and nitrosative stress in albino rats

Heavy metals generate free radicals and induce oxidative and nitrosative stress with depletion of antioxidants. In this study, we have evaluated the beneficial effects of α-tocopherol against nickel sulfate exposed testicular dysfunction.

We studied the effect of supplementation of α-tocopherol (10 mg/100 g body weight, i.m.) on nickel sulfate (2.0 mg/100 g body weight, i.p.) induced testicular oxidative and nitrosative stress in Wister strain male albino rats. Serum and testicular nitric oxide, L-ascorbic acid and serum α-tocopherol concentrations were evaluated. We also evaluated sperm count, motility and histopathology of testes.

Nickel treated rats showed significantly decreased body weight, testicular somatic index, sperm count, sperm motility, serum and testicular L-ascorbic acid concentration and serum α-tocopherol level as compared to their controls. However, simultaneous treatment with nickel sulfate and α-tocopherol produced a remarkable improvement of all the above parameters when compared with treatment with nickel alone. Nickel treated rats also had significantly increased serum and testicular nitric oxide concentrations as compared to their controls. However, simultaneous treatment with nickel sulfate and α-tocopherol significantly decreased nitric oxide concentrations in both serum and testes, respectively, as compared to nickel treatment alone. Histopathology of the testes revealed tortuous seminiferous tubules, loss of spermatogenesis process (>75%), congestion and necrosis in nickel sulfate treated rats, whereas rats simultaneously treated with nickel sulfate and α-tocopherol had almost normal seminiferous tubules and near normal spermatogenesis as compared to nickel alone treated rats.

Nickel sulfate treatment causes testicular oxidative and nitrosative stress in albino rats, but simultaneous supplementation of α-tocopherol was found to be beneficial in combating against such stresses.