Advances in Research

Exposure to the nicotine-based product through smoking or other means to douse the effects of societal stress is on the increase among young male adults of reproductive age. Reports have it that either of nicotine or stress alters male reproductive functions. This study assessed the protective role of vitamin E (Vit E) and Panax ginseng (PG) in alleviating the detrimental effect of nicotine + Chronic stress on reproductive functions in 30 male Wistar rats weighing 150-200 g. The rats were randomly divided into 5 groups of 6 rats each. Control (0.2 ml of castor oil/day as drug vehicle), nicotine (1.5 mg/kg/day)+ Chronic stress (generator noise 90-120 dB oropen environment 8 am to 4 pm daily), nicotine+ Chronic stress + Vit E (100 mg/kg/day), nicotine+ Chronic stress+ PG (500 mg/kg/day) and nicotine+ Chronic stress + Vit E + PG daily. Drugs were administered orally for 28 days, after 7 days of acclimatisation, while the stress groups were exposed to stressors from during the acclimatisation. Nicotine+ Chronic stress reduces sperm count, motility, rapid progressive forward movement and sperm viability compared to control, but increases percentage of sperm debris, non-motile sperm and slow progressive forward movement compared to control. Testosterone, luteinizing hormone and follicle stimulating hormone levels were reduced in nicotine+ Chronic stress compared to control. Testicular and epididymal tissues of nicotine+ Chronic stress rats were seriously impaired compared to control rats. PG and Vit E recovered the harmful changes in the assessed parameters and tissues compared to the untreated groups. PG and Vit E supplement appeared to attenuate the adverse effect induced by nicotine+ Chronic stress on male reproductive parameters.