The Administration of Zinc Inhibited the Decrease of Leydig Cell and Testosterone Level in Male Wistar Rats (Rattus Norvegicus) that are Exposed to Electric Cigarette Smoke

Electric cigarette smoke is one of the exogenous sources of free radical formation in the body which can cause a decrease in the number of Leydig cells and testosterone levels which can trigger the aging process. Zinc has antioxidant ability to neutralize free radicals and has the ability to work directly on steroidegenesis enzymes so that organ function can be maintained in a physiological state and the risk of premature aging can be avoided. This study was conducted to prove that zinc can inhibit the decrease in the number of Leydig cells and total testosterone levels in male Wistar strain rats (Rattus norvegicus) exposed to electric cigarette smoke. The study was a true experimental study that applied posttest-only controlled group as its research design. The samples in this study were 36 male Wistar rats aged 8-10 weeks, with body weight of 170-200 grams, which were divided into 2 groups, with 18 rats each. The control group was administered with 1 cc plasebo (aquadest), while the treatment group was administered with 0,8 mg zinc dissolved in 1 cc of aquadest immediately after being exposed to electric cigarettes. Each group was given the treatment once a day for 28 days. On day 29, the rats were euthanized, then measured testosterone level with ELISA method and testicle surgery was conducted to generate microscopic supply, calculate the number of Leydig cells. The analysis result of the Leydig cells calculation showed that the average total /1 HPF in the control group was 21, 01?1,90, the treatment group was 32,58?2,83 with p?0.001. The average value of testosterone level showed in the controlled group was 2, 27?0, 40 and the treatment group was 3, 44?0,46 with p?0.001. There were significant differences in the number of Leydig cells and Testosterone levels in the control group compared to the treatment group. The study leads to the concluded that administration of zinc potentially inhibits the decreased of Leydig cells and testosterone level in male Wistar rats (Rattus norvegicus) that were exposed to electric cigarette smoke.