COMPARATIVE ROLES OF AZANZA GARCKEANA (GORON TULA) AND MELATONIN IN AMELIORATING CHRONIC EXPOSURE TO BISPHENOL A ON TESTICULAR MORPHOMETRY AND SPERM RESERVES IN NEW ZEALAND WHITE BUCKS

Abstract

Azanza garckeana (AG) contains antioxidant properties that can provide a scavenging effect on reactive oxygen species. The current study aimed to compare the antioxidant properties of AG to a standard antioxidant melatonin on the testicular measurements and sperm reserves of rabbit bucks exposed to BPA. Twenty-one New Zealand White rabbit bucks were fed ad libitum on a commercial isocaloric and isonitrogeneous diet for 90 days and randomly divided into seven groups of three bucks each. Group A was administered distilled water (1.5 ml), group B was administered only BPA (100 mg/kg), group C was administered only AG (500 mg), group D was administered only melatonin (1.0 mg/mL for 12 weeks) , group E was pre-dosed for six weeks with BPA (100 mg/kg), then AG for another six weeks, Group F was pre-dosed for six weeks with BPA (100 mg/kg), then melatonin (1.0 mg/mL) for another six weeks and group G was pre-dosed for six weeks with BPA (100 mg/kg), then AG (500 mg/kg) + melatonin (1.0 mg/mL) for another six weeks. Bucks treated with AG had significantly (P < 0.05) higher morphometry and sperm reserves when compared to the bucks treated with melatonin. The synergistic effects of AG and melatonin was observed to exert the best therapeutic results in the treatment of BPA induced toxicities. It is concluded that BPA has deleterious effects on reproduction but administration of AG and melatonin may possess some therapeutic properties that can reverse and ameliorate such adverse effects to the barest minimum