Evaluation of the testicular protection conferred by damiana (Turnera diffusa Willd.) against amitriptyline-induced testicular toxicity, DNA damage and apoptosis in rats

Psychiatric drugs, such as antidepressants, are used to treat depression based on their ability to modify chemical imbalances of the key neurotransmitters in the brain, including dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine. Amitriptyline, a first-reference tricyclic antidepressant derived from dibenzocycloheptadine, is frequently used, especially in neuropsychiatry, to address general depression, major depressive disorders, and fibromyalgia. Therefore, this study attempted to examine the sexual dysfunction attendant on the use of Amitriptyline by investigating the protective role that can be played by damiana. To this end, this study used damiana (Turnera diffusa Willd.) as adjuvant therapy in male albino rats receiving Amitriptyline. Sixty male albino rats were randomly allocated to six groups, with 10 rats being assigned to each group; the first group was a control, the second was treated with damiana only, the third group was given Amitriptyline, the fourth group received Amitriptyline and damiana simultaneously, the fifth group was given Amitriptyline and post-treated with damiana, and the sixth group was given Amitriptyline and then allowed time for self-healing. The findings of this study suggest that oxidative stress occurs in testicular tissue in rat groups treated with Amitriptyline, as manifested by inappropriate activity of TBARS, SOD, GSH, GR, GST, and GPx. Amitriptyline also repressed reproductive hormonal activity, as confirmed by histopathological lesions, DNA damage, and p53 protein expression. The addition of damiana, however, showed aprotective role in all testicular activity indices.

Keywords: Amitriptyline; Apoptosis; Damiana (Turnera diffusa Willd.); Oxidative stress; Testicular toxicity.