Korean red ginseng protects against doxorubicin-induced testicular damage: An experimental study in rats

The protective effects of Korean red ginseng (KRG; Panax ginseng Meyer) aqueous extract against doxorubicin (DOX)-induced testicular damage in rats was investigated. DOX (1 mg⋅mL−1⋅kg−1⋅week−1) was administrated intraperitoneally for 8 weeks and KRG extract was administrated orally for 9 weeks (100 or 200 mg/kg/day). The serum sex hormone levels, sperm kinematic parameters, histopathological parameters and protein expression levels were determined. DOX distinctly damaged the histology of the rat testes and decreased the sex hormonal levels, spermatogenesis, seminiferous tubular diameter, and testes weight. Further, the protein expression levels of peroxiredoxin, glutathione-S-transferase, nectin-2, inhibin-α, and cAMP response element binding protein were suppressed in DOX-treated rats. In contrast, KRG extract ameliorated the changes induced by DOX. Data indicated that KRG ameliorated DOX-induced testicular damage in rats by modulating the antioxidant system and hormonal imbalance. In conclusion, KRG can be used as a functional food and/or adjuvant for the prevention of reproductive damage caused by DOX.