The possible protective role of royal jelly against cisplatin-induced testicular lesions in adult albino rats: a histological and immunohistochemical study

Introduction : Cisplatin (CP) is one of the most frequently used antineoplastic agents for various types of tumors. Royal jelly (RJ) is a health tonic widely consumed nowadays with various benefits. Aim of the work :To evaluate the effect of CP on rat testes and investigate the possible protective effect of RJ on CP-induced testicular lesions. Materials and methods: Twenty-four adult albino rats were used. They were divided into four groups of six animals each. Group I served as the control group. Group I I comprised rats that received a single intraperitoneal injection of CP (7mg/kg). Group III comprised rats that received CP (as in group II) plus RJ, which was administered daily by gavage at a dose of 100mg/kg for 10 days. Group IV comprised rats that received RJ alone at the same previous dose. At the end of the experiment, both testes were weighed and prepared for histological, immunological, and electron microscopic studies. Blood samples were taken to measure plasma testosterone level, and morphometric studies were conducted. Results:The results showed that CP had serious deleterious effects on testicular structure and function. RJ reduced the changes occurring with CP administration and caused improvement in the structure and function of rat testes. Conclusion: RJ has a protective effect on CP-induced testicular lesions and can be used in patients who undergo treatment with CP.