Antioxidant Effect of Satureja khuzistanica on Fertility and In Vitro Fertilization Embryos Development in Adult Male Mice Treated with Nonylphenol

Nonylphenol (NP), is a type of environmental chemicals, which is thought to act as androgenic hormones, inhibit the actions of hormones, and induce reproductive abnormalities and oxidative stress. In this study, the protective effect of Satureja khuzistanica (SJKH) on in vitro fertilization of adult male mice treated with nonyl phenol (NP), was investigated.   In this experimental study, 24 adult male mice (8 weeks of age), were randomly divided into three groups (n=8), including control group receiving corn oil, group receiving NP (250mg/kg bw), and group receiving NP+SJKH essential oil group (250 and 225mg/kg bw, respectively) orally by gavage for 35 consecutive days. At the end of the treatment period, animals were sacrificed and sperm sample was taken from caudal epididymis. For each male mouse, 3 female mice were considered. Then, ovulation was induced by PMSG and hCG to collect oocyte. In vitro fertilization was performed in the culture medium (HTF+4mg/ml BSA), the fertilized oocytes were incubated for 120 hours and embryo development stages were studied. The results of in vitro fertilization rate of sperms indicated decreased fertilization rate, percentage of 2-cell embryos, and quality of blastocyst and embryo in NP group compared to the control and experimental groups and also a significant increase in these parameters in the experimental group compared to the NP group. The result of this study revealed that SJKH as an antioxidant can decrease the toxic effects of NP on the fertility rate of adult male mice.