Ameliorative Effect of Vitamin C against Monosodium Glutamate Induced Toxicity on Testes and Cauda Epididymal Sperm Reserves in Adult Male Albino Rats

Background: Monosodium glutamate (MSG) isa commonly used food enhancer which causes a wide range of endocrinal disorders including reduced fertility rate in both sexes. Earlier studies have shown that chronic administration of MSG induces oxidative stress in some organs of experimental animals. Accordingly, this work was carried out to study the possible ameliorative effect of vitamin C on monosodium glutamate induced testicular toxicity in adult male albino rats.
Study design: Sixty adult male albino rats were included in this study and divided into four main groups. Group I used as control group (10 rats). Group II (10 rats) received 100mg/kg/day vitamin C. Group III (20 rats) was subdivided into two subgroups (10 rats each): 100mg/kg/day and 4gm/kg/day MSG treated rats. Group IV (20 rats) was also subdivided into two subgroups and received both MSG and vitamin C in their previous doses. All animals were treated orally by gastric tube for two months. Body weight, serum testosterone level,  cauda epididymal sperm reserves, histopathological examination using H&E stain and survivin immunostaining were studied.
Results: There was a significant increase in the body weight (p < 0.05) and in the percentage of sperm abnormal forms (p < 0.05), while a significant reduction in the sperm count and motility (p < 0.05) was noticed. These results were dose dependent. Animals treated with 4gm/kg MSG showed severely damaged seminiferous tubules with few primary spermatocytes in H&E stained sections and marked reduction in survivin expression in histochemical study compared to other groups. Moreover, there was significant improvement in all studied parameters on administration of vitamin C concomitant with MSG which was more observed with low MSG dose (100mg/kg). Thus, vitamin C holds a promise as an agent that can  reduce MSG induced toxic effects in testes.