Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, College of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Qassim University, Buraydah 51452, Saudi Arabia.
Department of Nutrition and Clinical Nutrition, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo 11562, Egypt.
Nutrients. 2023 Mar 30;15(7):1693. doi: 10.3390/nu15071693.
The male reproductive function, particularly the testes, and the related hormones are sensitive to various xenobiotics. This work aimed for the first time to assess floral honey (NS floral honey) and multi-floral honey (M-floral honey) versus oil (NS oil) against rat testicular degeneration induced with azathioprine (AZA). A total of 40 male Wister rats were assigned into 5 groups: (1) control, (2) 15 mg/kg of AZA, (3) AZA + 1.4 mL/kg of M-floral honey, (4) AZA + 1.4 mL/kg of NS floral honey, and (5) AZA + 500 mg/kg of NA oil. Total testosterone (TT), free testosterone (FT), free androgen index (FAI), gonadotrophins, sex-hormone-binding globulin (SHBG), apoptosis markers, and redox status were assessed to clarify the possible protective mechanisms. Pituitary-testicular axis disruption, apoptosis markers, poor redox status, and sperm quality (count, viability, and motility) were set with AZA. Serum TT, SHBG, and absolute and relative testis weight were significantly restored in the NS oil and NS floral honey groups. Meanwhile, the NS oil group exhibited a significant elevation in FT and FAI. Serum gonadotrophins increased significantly in the NS floral honey ( < 0.01) and M-floral honey and NS oil ( < 0.05) groups. Testicular caspase-3, caspase-9, and nitric oxide showed significant improvement in the NS floral honey and NS oil groups. NS oil supplementation significantly normalized redox status ( < 0.05), whereas NS floral honey improved malondialdehyde and superoxide dismutase activity. Sperm quality exhibited a significant improvement in the NS oil group ( < 0.05). M-floral honey did not show reliable results. Although NS floral honey could protect against testicular damage, it did not upgrade to the level of improvement achieved with NS oil. We claim that further clinical studies are essential for focusing on the quality and quantity of bioactive constituents.
雄性生殖功能，特别是睾丸和相关激素，对各种异生物敏感。这项工作首次旨在评估花蜂蜜（NS 花蜂蜜）和百花蜜（M-百花蜜）与油（NS 油）对硫唑嘌呤（AZA）诱导的大鼠睾丸退化的作用。总共 40 只雄性 Wister 大鼠被分为 5 组：（1）对照组，（2）15mg/kg 的 AZA，（3）AZA+1.4ml/kg 的 M-百花蜜，（4）AZA+1.4ml/kg 的 NS 花蜂蜜，（5）AZA+500mg/kg 的 NA 油。评估总睾酮（TT）、游离睾酮（FT）、游离雄激素指数（FAI）、促性腺激素、性激素结合球蛋白（SHBG）、凋亡标志物和氧化还原状态，以阐明可能的保护机制。垂体-睾丸轴中断、凋亡标志物、氧化还原状态差和精子质量（计数、活力和运动）在 AZA 处理后出现。NS 油和 NS 花蜂蜜组血清 TT、SHBG、绝对和相对睾丸重量均显著恢复。同时，NS 油组 FT 和 FAI 显著升高。NS 花蜂蜜（<0.01）和 M-百花蜜和 NS 油（<0.05）组血清促性腺激素显著增加。睾丸半胱氨酸天冬氨酸蛋白酶-3、半胱氨酸天冬氨酸蛋白酶-9 和一氧化氮在 NS 花蜂蜜和 NS 油组显著改善。NS 油补充显著使氧化还原状态正常化（<0.05），而 NS 花蜂蜜改善了丙二醛和超氧化物歧化酶的活性。NS 油组精子质量显著改善（<0.05）。M-百花蜜没有显示出可靠的结果。尽管 NS 花蜂蜜可以保护睾丸免受损伤，但它并没有提高到与 NS 油相同的改善水平。我们声称，进一步的临床研究对于关注生物活性成分的质量和数量至关重要。
