Protective Effects of Tualang Honey on the Testes of Rats Subjected to Chronic Combined Stress
- Author:
Faizah Md Nawi
1
;
Mohd Asnizam Asari
1
;
Haziq Hazman Norman
2
;
Nurul Aiman Mohd Yusof
1
;
Mohamad Syabil Ikhwan Mohd Amin
1
Author Information
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords: Chronic stress; Stress; Tualang honey; Reproductive; Neuroendocrine
- From:Malaysian Journal of Medicine and Health Sciences 2024;20(No.2):34-41
- CountryMalaysia
- Language:English
- Abstract: Introduction: Persistent exposure to stress can lead to a wide range of pathological effects, including reproductive dysfunctions. Tualang honey, renowned for its antioxidant properties has been utilised in traditional and modern medicine. This study aims to investigate the protective effects of Tualang honey against stress-induced testicular damage in male rats. Method: Twenty-four male rats were divided into control group, stress-exposed group, Tualang-honey-supplemented group and stress-exposed with Tualang-honey-supplemented group. Restraint stress test (RST) and Forced swimming test (FST) were imposed on the rats for 21 days. Serum testosterone and corticosterone concentration were measured using ELISA. Testes were harvested, weighed, processed and stained for spermatid counts and measuring seminiferous epithelial height and diameter. One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to compare the numerical data between groups. Results: The testosterone concentration, spermatid count, seminiferous epithelial height and diameter in stress group were significantly lower compared to control group (p < 0.05). Corticosterone concentration was significantly greater in the stress group than in the control group. The spermatid count and seminiferous epithelial height and diameter of honey-treated groups were significantly higher than the stress-only group (p < 0.05). The corticosterone concentration of honey-treated groups was significantly higher compared to the stress-only group. Meanwhile, the testosterone concentration of honey-treated groups was higher than the stress-only group although the results were insignificant. Conclusion: Tualang honey has the potential to ameliorate corticosterone concentration and induce morphological alterations by increasing spermatid counts and seminiferous epithelial thickness and diameter in rat testes exposed to prolonged stress.
- Full text:202410211215346663511.2024my1763.pdf
