Zinc improves sexual performance and erectile function by preventing penile oxidative injury and upregulating circulating testosterone in lead-exposed rats.

AIM

The present study evaluated the effect of lead exposure with and without zinc therapy on male sexual and erectile function.

METHODS

Twenty male Wistar rats were randomly assigned into four groups; the control, zinc-treated, lead-exposed, lead + zinc-treated groups. Administrations were per os daily for 28 days.

RESULTS

Zinc co-administration significantly improved absolute and relative penile weights and the latencies and frequencies of mount, intromission, and ejaculation in lead-exposed rats. Also, zinc ameliorated lead-induced reductions in motivation to mate and penile reflex/erection. These findings were accompanied by attenuation of lead-induced suppression of circulating nitric oxide (NO), penile cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP), dopamine, serum luteinizing hormone, follicle-stimulating hormone, and testosterone. In addition, zinc alleviated lead-induced upregulation of penile activities of acetylcholinesterase and xanthine oxidase (XO), and uric acid (UA) and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels. Furthermore, zinc ameliorated the lead-induced decline in penile nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) and reduced glutathione (GSH) levels, and catalase, superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), and glutathione-S-transferase (GST) activities.

CONCLUSION

This study revealed that co-administration of zinc improves lead-induced sexual and erectile dysfunction by suppressing XO/UA-driven oxidative stress and upregulating testosterone via Nrf2-mediated signaling.