Acrocomia aculeata oil: Beneficial effects on cyclophosphamide-induced reproductive toxicity in male rats

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of the extracted oil of Acrocomia aculeata pulp in preventing or mitigating the reproductive toxicity induced by cyclophosphamide (CP) in male rats. Adult male rats were segregated into seven groups that received vehicle, 100 mg/kg/day of CP, or 10 mg/kg/day of β-carotene or 3 or 30 mg/kg/day of A. aculeata oil co-administered with CP. A. aculeata oil exhibited a high content of β-carotene. CP treatment induced reproductive toxicity in the animals, as it changed the reproductive organs weight, hormone levels, sperm counts and testicular histology. In contrast, co-administration of A. aculeata improved CP-induced alterations in these parameters. A. aculeata oil also increased the gene Ckit expression and normalised the antioxidant enzymes levels which were changed by CP. The A. aculeata oil is capable of protecting the male reproductive system from the adverse effects of CP, possibly by acting as an antioxidant and increasing the Ckit gene expression.