Protective effect of Hibiscus sabdariffa Linn. Calyx extract on tetracycline induced testicular toxicity in mice

Aqueous Hibiscus sabdariffa Linn. (Malvaceae) calyx extract (HSE) was evaluated for the protective effect against testicular toxicity induced by tetracycline dose of 20 mg/100 gBW for 14 days in mice. The extract doses of 20, 50 and 100 mg/100 gBW used in pretreatment by oral administration for 4 days and subsequent co-treatment with tetracycline for 14 days had the protective effect exhibiting significantly increasing quality of seminal fluid including an increase in total sperm count, percentage of mobile sperms and viable sperms when compared to the tetracycline treated group (p < 0.05). Futhermore, the seminal analysis in the group treated with highest dose of HSE and subsequently co-treated with tetracycline were recovered and revealed non-significant difference from the control. These occurences were supported by the concordant results of histological changes in testes sections. They showed that spermatogenic cells in seminiferous tubules were impaired in tetracycline-treated group. Meanwhile, they were attenuated after pretreated and co-treated with HSE. It can be concluded that aqueous H. Sabdariffa. calyx extract may be used as protective agent against tetracycline-induced reproductive toxicity in mice.