Lycopene protects against acute zearalenone-induced oxidative, endocrine, inflammatory and reproductive damages in male mice

• Lycopene was able to prevent ZEA-induced damage in testes of mice.
• Lycopene protects against the decrease in GST, GPx and GR activities induced by ZEA.
• Lycopene prevents the decrease of δ-ALA-D activity caused by ZEA in the testes.
• ZEA induced modification of antioxidant and inflammatory status.
• ZEA increase interleukins 1β, 2, 6, 10, tumor necrosis factor-α and bilirubin levels.

Male mice received lycopene for 10 days before a single oral administration of zearalenone (ZEA). After 48 h testes and blood were collected. Mice treated with lycopene/ZEA exhibited amelioration of the hematological changes. Lycopene prevented the reduction in the number and motility of spermatozoa and testosterone levels, indicating a protective effect in the testicular damage induced by ZEA. Lycopene was also effective in protecting against the decrease in glutathione-S-transferase, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione reductase and δ-aminolevulinic acid dehydratase activities caused by ZEA in the testes. Exposure of animals to ZEA induced modification of antioxidant and inflammatory status with increase of reduced glutathione (GSH) levels and increase of the oxidized glutathione, interleukins 1β, 2, 6, 10, tumor necrosis factor-α and bilirubin levels. Lycopene prevented ZEA-induced changes in GSH levels and inhibited the processes of inflammation, reducing the damage induced by ZEA. Altogether, our results indicate that lycopene was able to prevent ZEA-induced damage in the mice.