Ameliorative Effect of Moringa oleifera Extract on Male Fertility in Paroxetine Treated Rats

Paroxetine is one of the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor that is used for treating major depressive disorders but it has many side effects. Therefore, this study was planned to evaluate the possible protective effect of Moringa oleifera extract on the fertility of male rats treated with paroxetine. A total of forty adult male albino rats were equally allocated into four groups, each of 10 rats: Rats received 0.5 mL distilled water, 400 mg/kg BW of moringa hydroalcoholic extract, 10 mg/ kg BW of paroxetine, for groups 1, 2 and 3, respectively. While, rats of group 4 received moringa hydroalcoholic extract and paroxetine simultaneously at the same previously mentioned doses. All treatments were administered orally once daily for 60 successive days. Paroxetine treated group showed a significant decrease in the serum levels of Follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), Luteinizing hormone (LH), testosterone, estrogen and testicular catalase, glutathione (GSH), glutathione peroxidase (GPX), sperm count and sperm motility. Moreover, paroxetine evoked a significant increase in sperm abnormalities, testicular DNA fragments and testicular malondialdehyde (MDA) level compared with the control group. However, the concurrent administration of moringa extract with paroxetine was ameliorating the aforementioned alterations compared with paroxetine treated group. It could be concluded that, Moringa oleifera extract alleviated reprotoxicity induced by paroxetine in male rats.