ALLEVIATION OF FLUORIDE INDUCED ALTERATIONS IN ANTIOXIDANT STATUS AND FECUNDITY OF SPERMATOZOA OF RATS BY BOERHAAVIA DIFFUSA L.

Objective: The present study focused on the effect of oral administration of sodium fluoride on antioxidant status and fecundity of spermatozoa of rats and also to evaluate the ameliorative effect of Boerhaavia diffusa L.Methods: Wistar male rats (weighing 100-150g) were administered sodium fluoride (at three different doses 100, 200 and 300 ppm/kg BW) daily for 20 and 40 d. At the end of the experimental period, half of the animals were sacrificed and their epididymis was removed. Remaining half rats were administered B. diffusa (250 and 500 mg/kg BW) for 20 d. Level of malondialdehyde (MDA), the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) was estimated. Sperm morphology, count, motility and viability were also determined.Results: There was a dose-dependent significant decrease in activity of SOD (p<0.01) and CAT (p<0.05), and increase (p<0.01) in the level of MDA in experimental rats as compared to the control group. Sperm count, motility and viability were also decreased significantly (p<0.0001) in rats treated with fluoride. The fluorotic rats exhibited morphological abnormalities in the head (amorphous, hookless, double headed and bent), tail (coiled, hairpin looped, double-tailed) and body (short, large and presence of protoplasmic process) of spermatozoa as compared to control group. These toxic effects were reversed by the administration of leaf extract of Boerhaavia diffusa L.Conclusion: The results suggest that Boerhaavia diffusa L. extract attenuates fluoride exerted disruptions to spermatozo