Document Type : Original Research
Authors
1
Plant Protection Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Beni-Suef University, Beni-Suef 62511, Egypt.
2
Histology Department, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Beni-Suef University, Beni-Suef 62511, Egypt
3
Department of pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmacy, New Valley University, Kharga, Egypt
4
Department of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, Taibah University, KSA
5
Department of Anatomy and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Egypt
6
Department of Family and Community Medicine and Medical Education, College of Medicine, Taibah University, Al-Madinah Al-Munawara 42353, Saudi Arabia
Abstract
Pesticides play a crucial role in protecting crops and increasing yield, but unintended exposure can lead to adverse effects, especially on human health. High oxidative stress and inflammation can disrupt the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis, an important system for impacting gonadal activation, spermatogenesis, pubertal onset and fertility. This study aims to explore the testicular damage and changes in the hypothalamic-pituitary-testicular axis induced by subacute oral exposure to methomyl, as well as the potential protective effects of quercetin. The rats were divided into four groups: control (CO), methomyl-exposed (Meth), quercetin-treated (Qu), and methomyl plus quercetin (Meth/Qu). The methomyl group showed testicular apoptosis and decreased levels of pituitary and gonadal hormones, including follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), and testosterone, along with elevated levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, IL-6 and TNF-α) and the pro-apoptotic marker caspase-3. Quercetin treatment alleviated these effects, improved hormone levels, and reversed methomyl-induced testicular damage. This study highlights the potential of quercetin, a nutritional anti-inflammatory substance, in mitigating methomyl-induced physiological disturbances.
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