The Effect of Green Tea (Camellia Sinensis) on Rat Testicular Tissue Following Exposure to ParaNonylphenol

Background & Aims: Para-Nonylphenol (p-NP) can cause oxidative stress through reducing the activity of scavenging enzymes. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of green tea extract, as an antioxidant, on testisin rats exposed to p-NP. Methods: In the present study, 24 Wistar rats with mean body weight of 215 ± 10 g were divided into 4 groups (n = 6). The first group was considered as the control group. The treatment group, respectively, received p-NP (200 mg/kg/day), green tea extract (200 mg/kg/day), and p-NP + green tea extract orally for 56 days. Then, the rats were sacrificed and their right testis removed. After tissue processing and staining, the volume of seminiferous tubules and interstitial tissue, seminiferous tubules length and diameter, height of germinal epithelium, basement membrane thickness, and the number of cell types were estimated stereologically. The concentration of serum malondialdehyde (MDA) was also evaluated. Data were analyzed using one-way ANOVA. All P values of less than 0.05 were considered significant. Results: The mean volume and diameter of seminiferous tubules, the thickness of their basement membrane, germinal epithelium height, and mean total number of spermatocytes, spermatids, and Sertoli cells significantly reduced in the p-NP group compared to other groups. MDA concentration in rats treated with pNP significantly increased compared with the control group. Conclusion: Green tea seems to have a protective role in p-NP-induced toxicity in testis tissue. Thus, the results suggest that consumption of green tea, as an antioxidant agent, can play an important role in preventing the side effects of p-NP exposure in industrial areas.