title: Effects of Nigella sativa on heat-induced testis damage in mouse.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Infertility is one of the major health problems.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of Nigella sativa on heat-induced testicular damage.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty male mice were randomly divided into the four equal groups as Control, Heat stressed and, Heated and treated with Nigella sativa 10 % and 20 % in diet. The scrotum of mice except to the control mice were immersed for 15 min in a water bath at 43 °C. Animals in the control group were treated identically except that the water bath was maintained at 23 °C. Fifty days after the heating, blood samples were collected for testosterone levels. Testes were removed for the measurement of seminiferous tubules diameter and percentage of spermatogenesis and oxidant/antioxidant status.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Heating stress significantly reduced blood testosterone level and increased lipid peroxidation product and decreased antioxidant activities of superoxide dismutase, catalase and glutathione peroxidase (p < 0.01). Nigella sativa treatment significantly increased blood testosterone level and decreased testis malondialdehyde level and increased antioxidant enzymes activities (p < 0.05). In the mice treated with Nigella sativa, testes illustrated normal spermatogenesis and structure.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results indicated that supplementation of Nigella sativa in diet improves spermatogenesis and antioxidant status after a short exposure of the mouse testis to heat (Tab. 1, Fig. 4, Ref. 45).
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Mohajeri
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kaffashi Elahi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D006979:Hyperthermia, Induced / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D031881:Nigella sativa; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects*; D008517:Phytotherapy / Q000379:methods*; D028321:Plant Preparations / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013733:Testicular Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D013737:Testis / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D028321:Plant Preparations
keywords: Nigella sativa; antioxidants; heating; mouse.; testis