Effects of Tahitian Noni dietary supplement on caffeine-induced testicular histo-pathological alterations in adult Sprague-Dawley rats

ObjectiveTo investigate the possible ameliorating effect of Tahitian Noni dietary supplement on caffeine-induced testicular histopathological alterations in Sprague-Dawley rats.DesignThis is an experimental animal study.MethodsThirty adult male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats, weighing between 105 and 200g were acclimatized and grouped into six of five rats per group. Group 1 was the control. Group 2 received 200mg/kg of caffeine for 8weeks, Group 3 received 200mg/kg of caffeine for 4weeks and 5ml/kg of Noni for another 4weeks, Group 4 received both 200mg/kg of caffeine and 5ml/kg of Noni for 8weeks, Group 5 received 5ml/kg of Noni for 8weeks, Group 6 received 5ml/kg of Noni for 4weeks and 200mg/kg of caffeine for another 4weeks.ResultsTahitian Noni caused a statistically significant increase in the mean body weight of the SD rats, opposed to the groups treated with caffeine. There was also a statistically significant increase in the testicular weight, sperm count and motility in the SD rats treated with Noni compared to those treated with caffeine. Caffeine negatively affected the histo-architecture of the seminiferous tubules with massive loss of spermatogenic cells while the groups exposed to Noni tended towards normal when compared with the control.ConclusionsAdministration of Tahitian Noni dietary supplement ameliorates the testicular toxicities caused by a high dose of caffeine.