Evaluating the Antioxidant Potential of Coumestrol in the Treatment of Tripterygium Glycoside-Induced Oligospermia in Rats and Its Potential Mechanisms

Tripterygium glycoside (TG) is known to disrupt the oxidative balance in bio-systems, inducing oxidative stress-mediated toxic effects on testicular tissue. This study aimed to explore the therapeutic potential of coumestrol (COU) against these adverse effects. Sixty-four male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomized into control and Tripterygium glycoside (TG) groups for four weeks. Following initial intervention, eight rats per group were sacrificed to verify the establishment of the oligospermia model and hormonal dysfunction. The remaining rats were subdivided into five therapeutic subgroups, TG, TG + L-carnitine, and three COU dosage groups (low, medium, and high) to evaluate potential protective effects. The present study comprehensively analyzed its impacts on testicular histomorphology, circulating testosterone, follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH) levels, and redox balance status, as well as a suite of serum biochemical and physiological biomarkers. Our results revealed that TG induced oligospermia in rats, causing significant testicular oxidative stress characterized by excessive accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and malondialdehyde (MDA), alongside depleted superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity and total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC). Conversely, COU treatment effectively mitigated these impairments by significantly downregulating ROS and MDA levels while restoring SOD activity and T-AOC.