The Sperm and In-Vitro Fertilization (IVF) of Mice with Phenylhydrazine-Induced Hemolytic Anemia; Ameliorating the Effect of Royal Jelly and Vitamin C

Hemolytic anemia induced by phenylhydrazine (PHZ), as a hemolytic compound, can cause disorders in spermatogenesis and fertility. The present study aimed to evaluate the effect of vitamin C (Vit C) and royal jelly (RJ) as effective antioxidant compounds against phenylhydrazine-induced hemolytic anemia. Adult male mice were randomly diveded into four groups of eight. The first group received 0.1 ml of normal saline intraperitonealy (IP). The second group received 60 mg/kg of phenylhydrazine in 48-hour intervals intraperitonealy. The third group received 60 mg/kg of phenylhydrazine along with 250 mg/kg of vitamin C intraperitonealy and100 mg/kg of royal jelly orally. The fourth group received the same doses of vitamin C and royal jelly as the third group. After 35 days, serum samples were taken, the sperms were collected from epididymis and in-vitro fertilization (IVF) was evaluated. Phenylhydrazine-induced hemolytic anemia significantly decreased serum testosterone concentration and increased damaged DNA and immature nuclear sperm. Moreover, phenylhydrazine decreased the number of fertilized oocytes, two-cell and four-cell embryos, morula and blastocyst and increased arrested embryos. However, administrating of royal jelly and vitamin C improved these parameters significantly. It seems that royal jelly and vitamin C, as free radicals scavengers, have the potential to decrease oxidative damages on reproductive organ in phenylhydrazine-induced hemolytic anemia.