Dhekra Grami*, Soumaya Wahabi, Slimen Selmi and Hichem Sebai

University of Jendouba, Higher Institute of Biotechnology of Beja, Laboratory of Functional Physiology and Valorization of Bioresources-Higher Institute of Biotechnology, Tunisia

*Corresponding Author: Dhekra Grami, University of Jendouba, Higher Institute of Biotechnology of Beja, Laboratory of Functional Physiology and Valorization of Bioresources-Higher Institute of Biotechnology, Tunisia.

Received: December 10, 2024; Published: January 15, 2025

Abstract

Arbutus unedo L. has gained significant attention in modern medicine due to its widespread use in the prevention and treatment of various human diseases. Atorvastatin (ATV), a lipid-lowering agent, is widely used in combination with other drugs. However, the effects of Arbutus unedo L. and Atorvastatin on the male reproductive system and fertility have not been clearly defined. The current investigation aimed to study the protective effect of Arbutus unedo L. aqueous extract (AUAE) or Atorvastatin against histological damage and oxidative stress induced by a high-fat diet (HFD) in the testes of Wistar rats. The rats were divided into four groups: Groups I and II served as standard and HFD controls, respectively and received double-distilled water. Groups III and IV were treated with AUAE and ATV, respectively (300 mg/kg and 2.1 mg/kg, b.w., p.o.). All doses were administered orally (p.o.) for 12 weeks. Our results revealed that HFD treatment induced significant testicular histological damage, evidenced by testicular dysfunction such as a lower number of Leydig cells and spermatocytes, as well as an oxidative stress status marked by an increase in malondialdehyde (MDA) levels and antioxidant enzyme activities, such as superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT), in testicular tissue. The administration of AUAE or ATV improved both the histological damage and biochemical parameters. These findings suggest, firstly, that the ability of AUAE to protect the testicular damage in rats may be linked to pharmacologically active substances, such as phenolic compounds with strong antioxidant properties. Secondly, ATV clearly offers significant protection against HFD-induced oxidative stress and histological damage in the testes of rats.

Keywords: Arbutus Unedo; Atorvastatin; HFD; Histological Damage; Oxidative Stress; Rats

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Citation

Citation: Dhekra Grami.,et al. “Arbutus unedo L.: A Potential Remedy for High-Fat Diet-Induced Oxidative Stress and Testicular Damage". Acta Scientific Nutritional Health 9.2 (2025): 25-31.

Copyright

Copyright: © 2025 Dhekra Grami., et al. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.