extract alleviates quetiapine-induced sexual toxicity in male albino rats: Insights from UPLC-MS/MS metabolite profiling, structural and PI3K/NF-κB pathway assessments.

BACKGROUND

Quetiapine (QET) abuse has increased due to its anxiolytic and hedonic effects, necessitating protective adjunct treatments. () flowers, used in traditional medicine, have potential health benefits.

AIM

To investigate the protective role of flower extract against QET-induced sexual toxicity, and to elucidate the possible underlying mechanisms through metabolomic and physiological studies.

METHODS

extract was subjected to metabolite profiling via High-Resolution Ultra-Performance Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (UPLC-ESI-qTOF-MS). Forty-eight adult male albino rats were assigned into six groups for 30 days. The intracavernosal pressure (ICP), semen, biochemical, hormonal, histological, genetic and Western blot (WB) analyses were determined.

RESULTS

extract is rich in phenolic compounds, flavonoids, tannins, and unsaturated fatty acids. QET significantly decreased ICP and negatively affected semen parameters. mitigated decreased sperm motility and ameliorated overexpressed proinflammatory genes in QET-55 group. ameliorated the reduction of the antioxidant biomarkers, testosterone, luteinizing hormone (LH), and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), concurrent with downregulation of the nuclear factor kappa B () protein. counteracted the disrupted testicular and prostatic structures revealed by histological examination.

CONCLUSION

The extract from , which contains a high concentration of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory chemicals, effectively mitigates sexual toxicity caused by QET. This study provided the first known explanation of the hypothesized processes behind the protective properties of through biological, biochemical, and histological parameters. The results emphasize the potential of as a safeguarding agent against drug-induced sexual toxicity.