Silymarin Attenuates Nicotine-Associated Testicular Degeneration and Systemic Oxidative and Inflammatory Changes in Mice
9 affiliations
- 1Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Kafkas University, 36100 Kars, Türkiye
- 2Department of Medical Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Kafkas University, 36100 Kars, Türkiye
- 3Department of Pathology, Department of Preclinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Balıkesir University, 10100 Balıkesir, Türkiye
- 4Department of Biology, Division of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Kafkas University, 36100 Kars, Türkiye
- 5Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Faculty of Health Sciences, Gaziantep University, 27100 Gaziantep, Türkiye
- 6Emergency Department, Terme State Hospital, 55600 Samsun, Türkiye
- 7Medical Laboratory Techniques Program, Department of Medical Services and Techniques, Vocational School of Health Services, Gazi University, 06170 Ankara, Türkiye
- 8Söke Health Services Vocational School, Aydın Adnan Menderes University, 09100 Aydın, Türkiye
- 9Department of Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Kafkas University, 36100 Kars, Türkiye
Abstract
Nicotine exposure can disrupt redox homeostasis and damage the male reproductive system. This study evaluated short-term nicotine-associated systemic and testicular changes and examined whether concurrent silymarin treatment attenuated these alterations. Twenty-eight adult male Swiss albino mice were randomized to control, nicotine, silymarin, and nicotine plus silymarin groups (n = 7 each). Nicotine (1.5 mg/kg/day) and silymarin (100 mg/kg/day) were administered intraperitoneally for seven days. Whole-blood glutathione, plasma malondialdehyde, superoxide dismutase, nitric oxide, paraoxonase-1, total sialic acid, lipid profile, caspase-3, and nuclear factor kappa B, testicular redox markers, and testicular histomorphology were assessed. Nicotine was associated with lower blood glutathione and plasma superoxide dismutase and paraoxonase-1 activities, higher plasma malondialdehyde, nitric oxide, total sialic acid, caspase-3, and nuclear factor kappa B values, and an unfavorable testicular redox profile (all p < 0.001). Degenerative changes were also observed in seminiferous tubules and Leydig cells. Concurrent silymarin treatment attenuated most biochemical alterations and was associated with less severe histological injury, although several markers did not fully return to control values. These findings support a partial protective association under the conditions tested; reproductive function was not directly assessed.
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BibTeX
@article{kukurt2026silymarin,
title = {{Silymarin Attenuates Nicotine-Associated Testicular Degeneration and Systemic Oxidative and Inflammatory Changes in Mice}},
author = {Abdulsamed Kükürt and Mahmut Karapehlivan and Hasan Özen and İnan Kaya and Tolga Kasacı and Haci Ahmet Deveci and Elnare Cevad Erkan and Metin Öğün and Ayla Özcan and Ömer Faruk Başer and Recai Aci and Hilmi Nuhoğlu},
journal = {Molecules},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.3390/molecules31203779},
url = {https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/31/20/3779},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Silymarin Attenuates Nicotine-Associated Testicular Degeneration and Systemic Oxidative and Inflammatory Changes in Mice
AU - Abdulsamed Kükürt
AU - Mahmut Karapehlivan
AU - Hasan Özen
AU - İnan Kaya
AU - Tolga Kasacı
AU - Haci Ahmet Deveci
AU - Elnare Cevad Erkan
AU - Metin Öğün
AU - Ayla Özcan
AU - Ömer Faruk Başer
AU - Recai Aci
AU - Hilmi Nuhoğlu
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/01
JO - Molecules
DO - 10.3390/molecules31203779
UR - https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/31/20/3779
AB - Nicotine exposure can disrupt redox homeostasis and damage the male reproductive system. This study evaluated short-term nicotine-associated systemic and testicular changes and examined whether concurrent silymarin treatment attenuated these alterations. Twenty-eight adult male Swiss albino mice were randomized to control, nicotine, silymarin, and nicotine plus silymarin groups (n = 7 each). Nicotine (1.5 mg/kg/day) and silymarin (100 mg/kg/day) were administered intraperitoneally for seven days. Whole-blood glutathione, plasma malondialdehyde, superoxide dismutase, nitric oxide, paraoxonase-1, total sialic acid, lipid profile, caspase-3, and nuclear factor kappa B, testicular redox markers, and testicular histomorphology were assessed. Nicotine was associated with lower blood glutathione and plasma superoxide dismutase and paraoxonase-1 activities, higher plasma malondialdehyde, nitric oxide, total sialic acid, caspase-3, and nuclear factor kappa B values, and an unfavorable testicular redox profile (all p < 0.001). Degenerative changes were also observed in seminiferous tubules and Leydig cells. Concurrent silymarin treatment attenuated most biochemical alterations and was associated with less severe histological injury, although several markers did not fully return to control values. These findings support a partial protective association under the conditions tested; reproductive function was not directly assessed.
SN - 1420-3049
ER -