Bratislava Medical Journal Vol.116, No.4, p.264-269, 2015

ackground: Infertility is one of the major health problems.
Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of Nigella sativa on heat-induced testicular damage.
Methods: Forty male mice were randomly divided into the four equal groups as Control, Heat stressed and, Heated and treated with Nigella sativa 10 % and 20 % in diet. The scrotum of mice except to the control mice were immersed for 15 min in a water bath at 43 °C. Animals in the control group were treated identically except that the water bath was maintained at 23 °C. Fifty days after the heating, blood samples were collected for testosterone levels. Testes were removed for the measurement of seminiferous tubules diameter and percentage of spermatogenesis and oxidant/antioxidant status.
Results:

Heating stress significantly reduced blood testosterone level and increased lipid peroxidation product and decreased antioxidant activities of superoxide dismutase, catalase and glutathione peroxidase (p < 0.01).

Nigella sativa treatment significantly increased blood testosterone level and decreased testis malondialdehyde level and increased antioxidant enzymes activities (p < 0.05).

In the mice treated with Nigella sativa, testes illustrated normal spermatogenesis and structure.
Conclusion: The results indicated that supplementation of Nigella sativa in diet improves spermatogenesis and antioxidant status after a short exposure of the mouse testis to heat (Tab. 1, Fig. 4, Ref. 45).