Background & Aims: According to the effects of cyclophosphamide (CP) as a current chemotherapeutic drug on the structure of testis, this study was aimed to evaluate the protective effects of crocin on histological structure of seminiferous tubules, superoxide dismutase, malondialdehyde and testosterone in CP treated adult mice.

 Material & Methods: In this experimental study, 15 adult male mice were treated in 3 groups: control, sham control, and experimental group. The control group received normal saline (0.2ml/day), control sham group received cyclophosphamide (15 mg/kg/week, IP) and experimental group received crocin (200 mg/kg/day.IP) along with cyclophosphamide, respectively. Superoxidedismutase (SOD) and testosterone were measured in blood serum. Testicular samples also were used for histomorphometric studies and malondialdehyde (MDA) measurement.

 Results: It was revealed that Tubular Differentiation Index (TDI), Republication Index (RI), thickness of capsule, the numbers of active Sertoli cells, amount of SOD and testosterone were increased significantly in control and experimental groups compared to sham control (p<0.05), and Spermiogenesis Index (SI) in control and experimental groups were increased in compare with sham control group,but that was not significant in experimental group. Also MDA was increased significantly in sham control group compared to other groups (p<0.05).

 Conclusion: This study showed that crocin increases antioxidant enzymes and testosterone. However, it reduced testicular histopathological changes in CP treated mice.

 SOURCE: URMIA MED J 2014: 25(7): 673 ISSN: 1027-3727