Royal Jelly Administration Recover Spermatogenesis and Sexual Hormones Levels in a Busulfan-injured Rat Model

Subject Areas :

Tayebeh Sadeghi ^{1 *} , Seyed Ebrahim Hosseini ² , Mohammad Khaksari ³ , Abbas Mortazaeizadeh ⁴

1 - Faculty of Medicine, Ke.C., Islamic Azad University, Kerman, Iran
2 - Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Zand Institute of Higher Education, Shiraz, Iran
3 - Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
4 - Pathology and Stem Cells Research Centre, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran

Received: 2025-03-13 Accepted : 2025-08-02 Published : 2025-09-13

Keywords: Busulfan, Sex hormones, Rat, Spermatogenesis, Royal jelly,

Abstract :

The role of the busulfan-mediated pathway in its anti-estrogenic effects and resulting changes of spermatogenesis is still unknown, while royal jelly may improve spermatogenesis. Our objective was to determine the effects of royal jelly on the recovery of spermatogenesis, histology testis and sexual hormones and in of a busulfan-injured rat model. Sixty adult rats were randomly assigned to three treatment groups, consisting of four replicates with five rats in each replicate. Animals received a tow intraperitoneal vehicle (control) or 10 mg/kg busulfan injection (at 0 and 21 day), and 35 days after, the animals received orally 100 mg/kg royal jelly for 14, 28 and 56 days. One day after, blood plasma was obtained for hormone analysis, sperm was recovered from epididymis, and testes were processed for histology. The weight of the body and testis were recorded. Body and testis weights were significantly lower in the busulfan- vehicle group comparing to the other treatments (P<0.05). Whereas, this decrease was recovered in the royal jelly+ busulfan rat. Control groups did not show significant changes in most parameters, but busulfan decreased sperm counts, motility and normal morphology, induced seminiferous tubule depletion, intertubular space and decreased blood testosterone, FSH and LH. Royal jelly treatments partially recovered spermatogenesis, decreasing tubular atrophy. The royal jelly treatments in the busulfan-treated animals significantly increased sex hormones levels and sperm parameters, but, except for sperm motility and normal morphology at 56 d, they did not recover up to the values in the no-busulfan group (p<0.05). Royal jelly was the most efficient treatment, also increasing the concentration of sexual hormones close to no-busulfan levels. The royal jelly treatments reverted spermatogenesis, hormonal levels and histology similar to controls, however not attaining the same sperm quality than controls busulfan.