Evaluation the protective effect of Persian Gulf sea cucumber body extract (Holothuria arenicola) in prevention of injuries induced by electromagnetic field (50 Hz) on sperm and sexual hormones in Balb/C mice

Background and aims: The studies has been shown that some natural compounds are effective in preventing injuries induced by electromagnetic fields (EMFs). The aim of this study was to investigate the protective effect of the Persian Gulf sea cucumber body extract against injuries induced by 50 Hz EMF on sperm parameters in Balb/C mice.\ud Methods: In this experimental study, mice were divided randomly into 7 groups including control (without treatment), sham (exposed to a power off EMF) and experimental groups 1,2,3,4 and 5. The experimental groups were exposed to EMF 4 h/day for 10 days. The experimental groups 2 to 5 received sea cucumber body extract (25,50,100,200 mg/kg) 6 h before radiation exposure. Then, the testosterone levels, LH, sperm morphology, motility and viability were measured. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS software, one way ANOVA and Tukey post test (P<0.05).\ud Results: Electromagnetic fields did not exert significant changes in LH level (P>0.05), but EMF induced abnormalities in sperm morphology (22±0.008), reduced sperm motility (12%), viability (57±0.16), testosterone level (0.25±0.04) and increased their body weight (38%) in electromagnetic group as compared with control. The hormonal and sperm evaluations showed that under exposure groups treated with sea cucumber extract had optimize reduction of sperm abnormalities in experimental group 4 (%6±0.012), motility elevation in experimental group 5 (%64±0.008) and elevation of sperm viability (%77±0.01) and the testosterone levels (1.12±0.26) in experimental group 4 as compared with experimental group.\ud Conclusion: The results demonstrated that the sea cucumber extract possess protective effect against harmful effects of low frequency electromagnetic field in parameters such as sperm motility, viability and morphology in Balb/C mice.\u