Protective effects of Fumaria parviflora L. on lead-induced testicular toxicity in male rats.

In recent years, the clinical importance of herbal drugs has received considerable attention in reducing free radical-induced tissue injury. Oxidative stress has been proposed as a possible mechanism involved in lead toxicity that causes reproductive system failure in both human and animals. Fumaria parviflora L., a traditional herb, has been used to cure various ailments in Persian folk medicine. This study was carried out to investigate whether ethanolic extract of F. parviflora leaves could protect the male rats against lead-induced testicular oxidative stress. Adult Wistar rats were treated with 0.1% lead acetate in drinking water with or without 200 mg kg day(-1) F. parviflora extract via gavage for 70 days. Lead acetate treatment resulted in significant reduction in testis weight, seminiferous tubules diameter, epididymal sperm count, serum testosterone level, testicular content of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx). Moreover, significant elevation was observed in content of malondialdehyde (MDA) in lead-treated rats. However, co-administration of F. parviflora extract showed a significant increase in selected reproductive parameters in lead-treated rats. The results indicated that ethanolic extract of F. parviflora leaves has a potential to restore the suppressed reproduction associated with lead exposure and prevented lead-induced testicular toxicity in male Wistar rats.