Lycopene, a carotenoid antioxidant against Bisphenol A (BPA) motivated experimental male infertility

Abstract

Bisphenol A (BPA, 2,2-bis (4-hydroxyphenyl) propane) is a common environmental endocrine disruptors with estrogenic properties. It has been implicated to have death-defying effect on reproductive health in human and experimental rats because of its wide-ranging use in manufacturing of various consumer products. The present study was performed to evaluate the curative effect of lycopene on BPA induced testicular toxicity in rats. Toxicity on reproductive organ of adult male rats was induced by oral administered of Bisphenol A (200mg/kg body weight) dissolved in corn oil (1 ml) for 30 days. There was remarkable alteration in the levels of reproductive hormones, marker enzymes, ATPases and TCA cycle enzymes due to BPA-induced toxicity mediated by oxidative stress. Captivatingly, introduction of lycopene (10 mg/kg body weight given for 30 days orally) to BPA intoxicated group III rats, brought the biochemical modifications back to normal level. This result put forward that lycopene has an outstanding potential in reduction of testicular damage.