Nano-Rosmarinic Acid outperforms crude RA, protecting against pesticide-induced testicular toxicity in rats.

Exposure to environmental toxins like pesticides can severely impact male reproductive health, leading to testicular toxicity and infertility. The widely used pesticide chlorfenapyr (CFP) is known for its reproductive toxicity, often inducing oxidative stress and inflammation. Current interventions are often limited by poor bioavailability or side effects. Rosmarinic acid (RA), a natural compound, shows promise with its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, but its therapeutic potential is hindered by poor absorption. Nano-encapsulation aims to overcome these physicochemical limitations, enhancing RA's delivery and efficacy against toxin-induced damage.

Researchers investigated the protective effects of nano-encapsulated Rosmarinic acid (RA-CHNPs) against chlorfenapyr (CFP)-induced testicular toxicity in 60 adult male Wistar rats (n=10/group). Animals received oral CFP (180 mg/kg/day) and/or RA (75 mg/kg/day, crude or nano-encapsulated) for 30 consecutive days. Primary endpoints included testicular weight, sperm parameters, reproductive hormone levels (LH, FSH, testosterone), oxidative stress markers, pro-inflammatory cytokine production, apoptosis, and activation of NF-κB/NLRP3 signaling, assessed via immunohistochemistry and other biochemical assays.

Chlorfenapyr (CFP) exposure significantly reduced testicular weight, sperm count, sperm motility, and reproductive hormone levels (LH, FSH, testosterone). These adverse effects were accompanied by marked oxidative stress, increased pro-inflammatory cytokine production, and activation of the NF-κB/NLRP3 signaling pathway. Immunohistochemical analysis confirmed strong NF-κB expression in spermatogenic and Leydig cells, alongside robust NLRP3 expression within seminiferous tubules in the CFP group. Co-administration of RA-CHNPs led to a marked attenuation of these adverse effects, demonstrating greater protective efficacy than crude RA. RA-CHNPs reduced NF-κB and NLRP3 expression, which correlated with improved testicular architecture, restored spermatogenic activity, and normalized reproductive hormone levels. These protective effects were associated with activation of the NRF2/HO-1 antioxidant pathway, suppression of inflammatory responses, and regulation of apoptosis-related genes.

Nano-encapsulated Rosmarinic acid provided superior protection against CFP-induced testicular toxicity compared to crude Rosmarinic acid.