Evaluating the protective effect of alpha-lipoic acid against gentamicin-induced gonadal toxicity indicated by histopathology.

Abstract

Gentamicin induces gonadotoxicity in animal models, accompanied by oxidative stress. This study evaluated the histopathological protective effect of alpha-lipoic acid against gentamicin-induced gonadotoxicity. A parallel experimental study included 50 albino Wister rats, which were divided into 5 groups of ten according to the intraperitoneal intervention: group I received gentamicin, group II received gentamicin plus alpha-lipoic (100 mg/kg), group III received gentamicin plus a double dose of alpha-lipoic acid, group III received gentamicin plus oral vitamin E, and group IV received NaCl 0.9% (control). The animals were equally euthanized on days 15 and 16. Tests were dissected, prepared, and stained using a light microscope for histopathological examination. Rats exposed to gentamicin showed degeneration of seminiferous tubules, characterized by a significant decrease in germinal epithelial cells, impaired spermatogenesis, and a lack of spermatozoa in the lumen. An improvement in testes of animals co-treated with alpha-lipoic acid or vitamin E, including restoration of spermatogenesis and epithelial thickness. The histometric analysis also showed that the tubule epithelial thickness decreased when gentamicin was used, but this did not happen when alpha-lipoic acid or vitamin E was added simultaneously. The detrimental effects of gentamicin on testicular architecture are preventable through alpha-lipoic acid or vitamin E co-treatment. Keywords: Alpha-lipoic acid; Gonads; Histometric; Gentamicin; Seminiferous tubule; Spermatogenesis.