Quercetin Mitigates Vanadium-Pentoxide-Induced Oxidative Stress and Reproductive-Hormone Disruption in Male Rats

Vanadium pentoxide (VP) is a well-defined industrial pollutant, known to adversely affect the reproductive functions of male. This work was done to study the protective activities of the quercetin against VP; we have studied reproductive alterations associated with VP by oxidative stress and deleterious changes on testicular function. Treatment with VP, in male rats, resulted in reduction of serum total testosterone and LH, and an elevation in the LDH levels. It led to prominent spermatogenic arrest, decreased the motility percent of sperm and count, and also increased the sperm abnormality. The testicular acid phosphatase was elevated, and GSH and CAT levels were reduced, whereas malondialdehyde levels elevated. Additionally, VP reduced actin testicular cytoskeleton immunostaining in myoid cells. In response to concurrent treatment with quercetin and VP, serum hormones, LDH, and sperm quality were improved. Moreover, it reduced oxidative stress by reduction of malondialdehyde and elevation of GSH and CAT activity. Also, Ih increased actin cytoskeleton immunostaining.