Wurlina Wurlina, Imam Mustofa, Dewa Ketut Meles, Aswin Rafif Khairullah, Adeyinka Oye Akintunde, Kadek Rachmawati, Niluh Suwasanti, Dewa Made Sucipta Putra, Sri Mulyati, Suzanita Utama, Ulul Khoiriyah, Baich R. Tyarraushananda Defvyanto, Sila Faredy Heriana, Katty Hendriana Priscilia Riwu, Riza Zainuddin Ahmad, Audrey Gracelia Riwu
Background: Lead intoxication triggers testicular toxicity via oxidative stress. Aim: This study aimed to explore the antioxidant potential of Moringa oleifera leaf extract (MOLE) in enhancing the semen quality of rats exposed to lead acetate. Methods: Twenty-five healthy rats were randomly and equally divided into five groups. Group C served as the negative control, whereas group C+ was exposed to lead acetate at 50-mg/kg body weight (BW)/day without MOLE. The T1, T2, and T3 groups were exposed to lead acetate at 50-mg/kg BW and concurrently received MOLE at doses of 200-, 316-, and 500-mg/kg BW/day, respectively, for 20 days. On the 21st day, all rats were euthanized for blood collection and testicle harvesting. Results: The result showed that exposure to lead acetate at 50-mg/kg BW/day in group C+ led to significant decreases (p < 0.05) in superoxide dismutase (SOD) levels, plasma membrane integrity, Leydig and Sertoli cell counts, spermatozoa numbers, sperm motility, and live spermatozoa, as well as significant increases (p < 0.05) in malondialdehyde levels and apoptotic and necrotic sperm, compared with control group C–. The administration of MOLE to rats exposed to lead acetate resulted in improvement in all of these variables. However, SOD and testosterone levels, as well as spermatozoa numbers, viability, apoptosis, and necrosis, did not recover in group T3 (p < 0.05) compared with control group C–. Conclusion: MOLE effectively restores sperm quality in lead acetate-induced rats. © 2025, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tripoli. All rights reserved.
Division of Veterinary Reproduction, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universitas Airlangga, Surabaya, Indonesia; Division of Basic Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universitas Airlangga, Surabaya, Indonesia; Research Center for Veterinary Science, National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), Bogor, Indonesia; Department of Agriculture and Industrial Technology, Babcock University, Ilishan Remo, Nigeria; Department of Clinical Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Katolik Widya Mandala Surabaya, Surabaya, Indonesia; Dr. R. Soedjono Selong Hospital, East Lombok, Indonesia; Profession Program of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universitas Airlangga, Surabaya, Indonesia; Department of Veterinary Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universitas Pendidikan Mandalika, Mataram, Indonesia; Faculty of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine, Universitas Nusa Cendana, Kupang, Indonesia