Carbamazepine evoked reproductive toxicity in male Wistar rats: protective properties of Moringa oleifera leaves methanolic extract

Carbamazepine is an effective chemotherapeutic agent used to manage individual with epilepsy and trigeminal neuralgia. Chronic use of carbamazepine has been incriminated to cause reproductive disorders. The present study investigates the protective property of Moringa oleifera leaves methanolic extract on chronic carbamazepine-evoked reproductive toxicity in male Wistar rats. Forty male Wistar rats (150–260 g) were randomly separated into four groups with 10 rats, given distilled water (2 ml/kg), M. oleifera (200 mg/kg), carbamazepine (20 mg/kg) and M. oleifera accompanied with carbamazepine, after 30 min. The treatments were administered once in a day for 15 weeks via gavage. The pituitary and testis were evaluated for parameters measuring oxidative challenge, sperm characteristics and histological changes. Sex hormone concentrations were also evaluated from sera samples. The result of the phytochemical analysis shows that M. oleifera leaves extract contain total phenolics (7.8%) and flavonoids (22.23%), which are considered higher in the plant. The results also revealed that exposure to M. oleifera leaves mitigates the disruption in oxidative stress parameters, sex hormone concentration, sperm characteristics and histological changes. This study revealed that chronic carbamazepine administration evokes oxidative stress, partly involved in the alterations of concentration of sex hormones, sperm characteristics and histoarchitecture of pituitary gland and testes. Treatment with leaf extract of M. oleifera protects against the adverse reproductive consequences of long-term exposure to CBZ, due to its antioxidant property.