Protective Effect of Hydroalcoholic Extract Tribulus terrestris on Cisplatin Cytotoxicity on Sperm Viability and Count in Mice

Cisplatin is an anti-cancer drug used in chemotherapy. The side effects of this drug include anoretic, nausea, decrease in genital gland function, azoospermia and oligospermia. Tribulus terrestris has many compounds mostly, that caused antioxidant and protective properties. The purpose of the present study to investigate protective effect of hydro-alcoholic extract Tribulus terrestris on cisplatin cytotoxicity on sperm viability and count in mice. Cisplatin and Tribulus terrestris extract were given to 30 mice for a period of 4 days. The mice were weighted and after anesthesia, their epididymis was taken out and sperm viability and sperm count were investigated, Student t-test was applied for the statistical analysis. The results show that cisplatin alone leads to a reduction in body and epididymis weight, and sperm count and sperm viability compared to the control group (p<0.05). In the group that used cisplatin along with Tribulus terrestris extract, as the dose of extract increased, the body and epididymis weight, sperm count and viability sperm increased in compared to the cisplatin group. It seems, the existing compounds in Tribulus terrestris extract can control active metabolites caused by cisplatin and the destructive effect of this drug. Prescribing Tribulus terrestris extract along with cisplatin can possibly be beneficial and effective due to the anti-oxidant characteristics of Tribulus terrestris and also its effect on reducing harmful metabolites.