Introduction: Infertility is a worldwide common health problem that might be induced by many factors and anti-cancerous are among the most common causes. Doxorubicin, and similar drugs are widely used anti cancerous agents mainly in the treatment of solid tumors, lymphoma and leukemia. they are attributable to male infertility due to testicular intoxication, and issue necessitates the concomitant usage of protective agents especially with increase life expectancy of cancer patients associated with better health care.
Aim of the Work: The current study is designed to compare the possible protective effect of both folic acid and Atorvastatin in doxorubicin induced testicular intoxication in adult male albino rats.
Materials and Methods: The experiment was conducted on sixty adult animals divided randomly and equally as control group (including three subgroups, 10 rats EACH, received no treatment, 10 rats received Atorvastatin and 10 rats received Folic acid), Doxorubicin treated group and two more groups that received folic acid and Atorvastatin in the second concomitantly as protective agents.
Results: The results assessed anatomically (body weight, testicular weight and body: testicular weight ratio), biochemical assay (LH, antioxidant and testosterone serum level), and histologically both by light and Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM). All results suggest that folic acid has a significant protective role on doxorubicin induced testicular intoxication. Administration of Atorvastatin at the used dose has a limited role in protection.
Conclusion: The results recommend the use of folic acid as a routine protective agent for those under doxorubicin treatment especially in males during childhood and young age.