ABSTRACT:
Aim of study: Investigate the protective potential of Quercetin and/orHesperidin against Etoposide (ETO)-induced testicular toxicityin male rats. Material and method: Twenty five adult male rats were divided into five groups. Control group (C): was given orally Distilled water, The first group (G1): was treated with (20) mg / kg bw of Etoposide, Second group (G2): received oral gavage (20) mg / kg of Etoposide, then given 20 mg / kg of Quercetin, Three group (G3): was given with (20) mg/ kg Etoposide with Hesperidin at dose 25 mg / kg bw, Four treatment group (G4): was given Etoposide with Quercetin and Hesperidin at same doses previous. Result: Etoposide treatment caused signi?cant a decrease (P<0.05) in body weight, testis weight and epididymis and also a decrease (P<0.05) enzymatic (SOD, CAT, GSH) and increased MDA induced by ETO, The histological changes resulted there was necrosisand degenerationin seminiferous tubule, presence of congestion in blood vessels between seminiferous tubules, the vacuolation and disintegration of Spermatogonia, a significant reduction in seminiferous tubule diameterand height of Epithelial layer, thickness of epithelial layer and diameter of tubules in epididymis, also in sperms stored in the epididymis with impaired spermatogenesis, as well as decrease in number of Leydig cells and Sertoli cells. In contrast, QE and/ or HES treatments signi?cantly attenuated the harmful effects induced by ETO. Conclusion: This suggests that Quercetin and/or Hesperidin may be a potential therapeutic against ETO induced testicular toxicity by restoring normal spermatogenesis, testicular and epididymalstructural, antioxidant levelsand inhibition of Lipid peroxidase (MDA).