The antioxidant and anti‐apoptotic potential of Pleurotus eryngii extract and its chitosan‐loaded nanoparticles against doxorubicin‐induced testicular toxicity in male rats.

Erdem Guzel, Elif; Kaya Tektemur, Nalan; Tektemur, Ahmet; Acay, Hilal; Yildirim, Ayfer

This study was conducted to evaluate the protective role of Pleurotus eryngii extract (PE) and Pleurotus eryngii extract‐loaded chitosan nanoparticles (PE‐CSNP) against doxorubicin (DOX)‐induced testicular toxicity in rats. Male rats were divided into six groups: control (DMSO/ethanol), PE (200 mg/kg PE), PE‐CSNP (30 mg/kg PE‐CSNP), DOX (10 mg/kg DOX, a single dose, i.p), DOX PE (10 mg/kg DOX 200 mg/kg PE) and DOX PE‐CSNP (10 mg/kg DOX 30 mg/kg PE‐CSNP). PE and PE‐CSNP were administered by oral gavage every other day for 21 days. DOX‐treated rats showed histopathological impairment compared with the control group. There was an increase in the apoptotic index, caspase 3 (CASP3), BCL2‐associated X apoptosis regulator (BAX), dynamin‐related protein 1 (DRP1) expression and total oxidative status (TOS) in the DOX group, while mitofusin‐2 (MFN2), total antioxidative status (TAS) and serum testosterone levels of the DOX group reduced when compared with the other groups. PE and PE‐CSNP treatments provided significant protection against DOX‐induced oxidative stress by reducing TOS levels and increasing TAS levels. CASP3, BAX, apoptotic index and DRP1‐MFN2 expressions were restored by PE and PE‐CSNP. However, the PE‐CSNP showed higher antioxidant and anti‐apoptotic efficacy compared with PE. Thus, our results provide evidence that CSNP and PE could synergistically have a potent antioxidant and anti‐apoptotic therapy against DOX‐induced testicular damage in male rats.

RATS; PLEUROTUS; DOXORUBICIN; CASPASES; NANOPARTICLES

Andrologia, 2021, Vol 53, Issue 11, p1

0303-4569

Academic Journal

10.1111/and.14225