Protective role of folic acid and vitaninb 12 on reproductive hormonal level and histological feature in nicotine intoxicated male rats

Nicotine (NIC) adversely affects male reproductive system, semen quality and fertility. The present study elucidated the protective role folic acid with or without vitamin B12 in adult wister male rats. Rats were treated with nicotine (administrated by intraperitoneal injection of nicotine 3mg/kg body weight / day with supplementation of folic acid alone (36μg/kg bw/day) or in combination with vitamin B12(0.63μg/kg/day) for 21 days. The NIC-exposed rats showed significant reduction in testicular weight, epididymal sperm count, motility, serum level of FSH, LH and testosterone with damaged histoarchitecture of testes probably by affecting pituitary gonadotrophins and/or modulating antioxidant status. The above-mentioned parameters were restored to near normal level by supplementation of folic acid and vitamin B12. In conclusion, folic acid and vitamin B12 may be used as possible reproductive protectants after additional study molecular and clinical trial level.