THERAPEUTIC POTENTIAL OF SILYMARIN IN ATTENUATING IRON ORE INDUCED TESTICULAR TOXICITY

ABSTRACT This study evaluated the protective effects of Silymarin (SIL) in Iron-ore induced testicular toxicity. Forty-four Wistar rats were divided into four groups: control, SIL (20 mg/kg), iron ore (4.5 mg/kg), and SIL + iron ore. Treatments were administered orally for four weeks, after which semen quality, serum testosterone, and testicular antioxidant status, lipid peroxidation, and histology were evaluated. Statistical analysis was conducted, means were compared using one-way ANOVA, with p-values <0.05 considered significant. Iron exposure significantly (p < 0.05) reduced sperm count (81.6 ± 9.1 vs. 28.3 ± 3.8 ×10⁶/mL), normal morphology (74.2 ± 12.3% vs. 52.5 ± 8.7%), and serum testosterone levels (4.9 ± 0.7 vs. 2.2 ± 0.3 ng/mL) compared to control. MDA levels increased (4.5 ± 1.4 vs. 8.4 ± 2.6 nmol/mg tissue), while antioxidant enzyme activities (SOD, CAT, GPx) decreased. SIL co-treatment significantly improved sperm count (61.7 ± 6.9 ×10⁶/mL), while also increasing, sperm morphology and motility, testosterone. The SIL restored testicular antioxidant levels, and reduced testicular MDA (7.2 ± 2.3 nmol/mg tissue) in Iron-ore rats. Histological analysis showed that SIL mitigated some of the structural damage caused by iron. These findings suggest that SIL mitigates iron ore-induced testicular toxicity by enhancing antioxidant defense and preserving reproductive parameters.