KAFKAS UNIVERSITESI VETERINER FAKULTESI DERGISI, cilt.15, sa.1, ss.1-8, 2009 (SCI-Expanded)
The aim Of this Study was to investigate the effects of Panax ginseng (PG) on antioxidant activity in testis tissue Of healthy mice. In the Study, totally 40 adult male Swiss albino mice were randomly divided into 4 equal groups; each group containing 10 mice. These groups were divided as control (group K, only drinking water), fluoride (group F, 40 mg F/lt/day flouride), fluoride + Panax ginseng (group F+PG, 40 mg F/lt/day fluoride +100 mg/kg/day PG) and Panax ginseng (group PG, 100 mg/kg/day PG). At the end of the experimental period (30 days), the mice were sacrifed by cervical dislocation. Lipid peroxidation (malondialdehyde, MDA), the activities of glutathione (GSH), glutathione-peroxidase (GSH-Px), superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities were investigated in testis tissues. Also were examined histological changes occured in testes tissue. In fluoride treated mice were observed significant increases in MDA levels and marked decreases in GSH, GSH-Px and SOD activities (p<0.05), and was determined damage of cell integrity in wall of tubuli seminiferous contorti and decrease to density of spermatozoon in epididymal lumen in compared to the control group. Panax ginseng treatment was significantly blocked the increases of MDA level and the decreases of GSH, GSH-Px and SOD activities (P<0.05). Also, the degenerative changes and the decreases of spermatozoon density induced by fluoride administration were ameliorated with PG treatments. As a result, fluoride may affect spermatogenesis by enhancing lipid peroxidation, and this injury can be decreased with PG treatment.