Available online Aug 21, 2025.
[ Original ] Volume 31, Issue 4, 2025, Pages 767-777
Doxorubicin is an effective antimitotic agent but whose use is limited by reported cases of reproductive toxicity attributed in part to oxidative stress. There is paucity of information on whether L-carnitine, a common and potent antioxidant mitigates doxorubicin-induced male reproductive impairment, hence this study. Fifteen (15) male Wistar rats used for the study were randomly divided into control, doxorubicin-only and doxorubian+L-carnitine groups of 5 rats each. Duration of daily administration with L-carnitine and weekly with doxorubicin was 28 days after which animals were sacrificed and relevant samples obtained for determination of parameters. Results show significant (p<0.05) decrease in relative testicular weight in the doxorubicin-only group compared with control, but significantly (p<0.001) higher in the Doxorubicin + L-carnitine groups compared with doxorubicin-only group. Sperm count, motility, and viability were significantly (p<0.05) reduced in the Doxorubicin-only compared with control group but significantly (p<0.05) higher in the doxorubicin + L-carnitine compared with Doxorubicin-only group. Teratozotospermia was significantly higher in Doxorubicin-only than in the control (p<0.05) but decreased in Doxorubicin+L-carnitine group (P<0.05) compared with doxorubicin-only group. Serum testosterone, luteinizing hormone and follicle-stimulating hormone concentrations were significantly (p<0.05) decreased in doxorubicin-only compared with control but significantly (p<0.05) higher in doxorubicin + L–carnitine compared with the doxorubicin-only groups. We therefore conclude that L-carnitine ameliorates doxorubicin-induced male reproductive toxicity in Wistar rats probably via its anti-oxidant potentials.
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Volume 31 | Issue 4
Page Nos. 767-777
Online since Aug 21, 2025