The Protective Effects of Vitamin E against Sertraline-Induced Damage on Testicular Tissue in Adult NMRI Mice

Background: Sertraline is one of the most widely used antidepressants in the world. The present study was performed to evaluate the protective effects of vitamin E against sertraline-induced damage on testicular tissue in adult NMRI mice. Materials and Methods: In this experimental study, 40 adult male NMRI mice were divided into eight groups of five. The first control group, received 0.3 ml of normal saline per day by gavage. The second, third and fourth groups received sertraline at 5, 10 and 20 mg/kg body weight per day by gavage, respectively. The fifth group received vitamin E at 100 international units per kg body weight per day by gavage. The sixth, seventh, and eighth groups received sertraline at 5, 10, and 20 mg/kg body weight, along with vitamin E at 100 international units per kg body weight per day by gavage, respectively. After 42 days of treatment, testicular specimens were collected and used for histomorphological, histomorphometrical and histochemical studies. The obtained data were analyzed in SPSS v. 19 using one-way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and Tukey’s test at the significance level of (p<0.05). Results: Sertraline caused destructive histomorphological and histochemical changes in testicular tissue and also significantly decreased the diameter of the seminiferous tubules, the height of the germinal epithelium, the number of spermatocytes, the number of Leydig and Sertoli cells and the Johnsen’s score compared to the control group (p<0.05). Vitamin E administration improved the histomorphological, histochemical condition and significantly increased the histomorphometric parameters in testicular tissue (p<0.05). Conclusion: Vitamin E can improve the adverse effects on histomorphological, histomorphometrical and histochemical parameters in the testicular tissue of mice receiving sertraline.