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Article Type

Original Study

Abstract

Objective The aim of this study was to evaluate the possible protective effect of omega-3 on testicular tissue damage induced by antidepressant drug (fluoxetine), in adult male albino rats. Background Fluoxetine is a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor drug commonly used in the treatment of depression, but it causes structural changes of testicular tissue. Omega-3 has a range of anti-inflammation and antioxidation. Materials and methods This animal study was carried out during the period from December 2016 to June 2017 on 50 adult male albino rats that were kept in the animal house of the Faculty of Medicine, Menoufiya University, and divided into four groups: group I (control); Group II (omega-3); group III, subdivided into two subgroups – IIIa (fluoxetine) and IIIb (recovery); and group IV (fluoxetine and omega-3). All groups received drugs orally for 4 weeks, and the recovery subgroup was left untreated for another 4 weeks. Then, animals were sacrified and weighted. Testis samples were obtained for histological and immunohistochemical study. Results Fluoxetine-treated rats showed a highly significant decrease of body and testis weight (P < 0.001). Fluoxetine led to distortion of seminiferous tubules, germ cell degeneration with sloughing, and vacuolation. The interstitium appeared wide containing degenerated Leydig cells, congested blood vessels, and acidophilic material. Fluoxetine induced intense expression of caspase-3, decrease in the mean number of positive proliferating cell nuclear antigen immunostaining, and negative expression of androgen receptor. The recovery group still showed persistence of some changes. Fluoxetine and omega-3 groups showed marked improvement. Conclusion Omega-3 alleviates testicular damage induced by fluoxetine more than arresting fluoxetine.

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