Protective effects of cornus mas extract on in vitro fertilization potential in methotrexate treated male mice

Abstract

Current study was aimed to evaluating protective effects of <em>cornus mas</em> fruit extract (CMFE) in mice treated with methotrexate (MTX). For this purpose, 48 young mature male mice were divided into 6 groups. Control group received only normal saline (0.1 mLper day, intraperitoneally), and the second group was administered MTX (20 mg kg^-1perweek, intraperitoneally). The third, fourth and fifth groups received MTX daily oral doses of 250, 500 and 1000 mg kg^-1CMFE as well as MTX. The sixth group was only given CMFE with a dose of 1000 mg kg^-1perday, orally, for 35 days. Then, the animals were anesthetically euthanized and the sperms were separated from epididymis. DNA damage level, the amount of malondialdehyde (MDA) as well as <em>in vitro</em> fertility was evaluated. The number of sperms with damaged DNA and MDA level in MTX-treated group showed a significant increase compared to control group (<em>p</em> < 0.05). In groups receiving CMFE along with MTX, DNA damage level and MDA amount suggested a decrease in comparison with MTX group (<em>p</em> < 0.05). Also, <em>in vitro</em> fertilization and embryonic development in MTX-treated group was significantly lower than the control group, and the level of embryonic arresting was higher (<em>p</em> < 0.05). In groups which received CMFE along with MTX, <em>in vitro</em> fertility and embryonic development was higher than MTX group (<em>p</em> < 0.05) and the arrested embryos showed a decrease. This study suggested that <em>cornus mas</em> is able to ameliorate the side effects of MTX.