Antioxidant potentials of Origanum majorana leaves extract against reproductive toxicity and apoptosis-related gene expression resulted from methomyl exposure in male rat

Pesticides have conferred immense benefits to mankind by improving health and nutrition. However, they have widely differing potential to produce adverse effects in living organisms, including reproductive toxicity. So, the present study is conducted to evaluate the protective effects of Origanum majorana leaves extract against methomyl-induced oxidative damage and testicular injures in male Wister rat.

Male rats were divided into six groups of six rats each: control group (I); extract groups (II & III) received extract at doses of 150 & 300 mg/kg body weight; methomyl group (IV) received methomyl (2.034 mg/kg bw, 1/10 LD50); groups (V & VI) simultaneously received methomyl along with the two doses of extracts. All the applications were administered via oral route for 28 consecutive days.

Exposure of rat to methomyl induced significant decreases in the activities of testicular SOD, CAT and GPx and in GSH level, while induced a significant increase in testicular LPO level accompanied by histopathological alterations. Furthermore, results revealed a significant up-regulation in the level of the expression for the activity of four key stress and apoptosis-related genes (CASP3, CASP9, Tp53 and Bcl2), in response to methomyl exposure in rats. However, Co-administration of O. majorana leaves extract to methomyl ameliorated the above-mentioned parameters and modulated the observed significant up-regulation in the expression level of apoptosis-related genes, indicative of a protective interfering role in signaling transduction process of methomyl-mediated toxicity. The ultimate effect was achieved by the highest dose of the extract.

These data suggested that co-administration of O. majorana leaves extract attenuated the testicular oxidative damage and apoptosis-related genes induced by methomyl exposure, which may be attributed to its antioxidant potential. So, the extract could be used as therapeutic option against testicular injuries.