Palliative effects of metformin on testicular damage induced by triptolide in male rats

• Published in: Ecotoxicology and environmental safety Vol. 222; p. 112536
• Main Authors: Wang, Ke, Hu, Huina, Cui, Wenbo, Zhang, Xuelian, Tang, Qi, Liu, Nuan, Lan, Xianyong, Pan, Chuanying
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Inc 01.10.2021; Elsevier
• Subjects: Metformin; Reproductive toxicity; Testis; Triptolide; Testis; Metformin; Triptolide; Reproductive toxicity
• ISSN: 0147-6513; 1090-2414
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2021.112536

As a widely existing traditional Chinese medicine component, TP (triptolide) has serious reproductive toxicity which causes severe damage to the reproductive system and limits its application prospect. TP and MET (metformin) have shown great potential in combined with each other in anticancer and anti-inflammatory. Whether metformin can resist the reproductive toxicity caused by triptolide, the effects of MET on TP-induced reproductive capacity has not been reported. In this study, metformin was used to investigate the therapeutic effect on reproductive toxicity induced by TP in rat. The results showed that metformin had significant therapeutic effects on oxidative stress damage, destruction of the blood-testosterone barrier and apoptosis. And it proved that its therapeutic effect is mainly to restore the structural and functional stability of testis through antioxidant stress. It will provide guidance for the treatment of reproductive toxicity caused by TP and the adjuvant detoxification of TP application. •Metformin can repair the TP-induced testicular morphological destruction in rat.•Metformin ameliorates the triptolide-induced fertility characteristics reduction.•Metformin improves the TP-induced oxidative stress level and apoptosis.•Metformin suppressed the TP-induced blood testosterone barrier destruction in testis.