The aminoglycoside Gentamicin is a commonly used antibiotic counteracting the Gram-ve microorganisms. Rats administered with Gentamicin showing a reduced testicular weight and inhibited spermatogenesis, as gentamicin generates ROS, decreasing the antioxidant reserve and accelerate mitochondrial dysfunction which then leads to apoptosis and testicular tissue destruction. This study was designed to investigate the protective effects of curcumin and/or quercetin on the gentamicin induced testicular damage or toxicity in sexually mature adult rats. Pre-treatment with curcumin and/or quercetin, markedly inhibited and ameliorated the reduction in sperm count, viability, motility and sperm production in gentamicin treated rats. Moreover curcumin and/or quercetin, significantly reduce teratospermia including head or tail abnormalities that observed in the gentamicin treated rats. These abnormalities were effectively normalized by curcumin and/or quercetin pretreatment improving the testicular tissue via counteracting of ROS, improvement of spermatogenesis and ameliorate the sperms quality and quantity. In conclusion supplementation of curcumin and/or quercetin improving the sperm count and morphology via testicular cell repair, counteracting the undesirable effect of gentamicin.
Key words: Gentamicin, Curcumin, Quercetin, ROS, Sperm.