¹Atatürk University Veterinary Faculty Department of Reproduction and Artificial Insemination, TR-25240 Erzurum - TURKEY
²Atatürk University Veterinary Faculty Department of Biochemistry, TR-25240 Erzurum - TURKEY DOI : 10.9775/kvfd.2016.15741 The aim of this study was to investigate the usage of Taraxacum officinale extract (TOE) in inflammatory and painful cases as an alternative to paracetamol (PRC) through the assessment of biochemical and reproductive parameters. Totally, 30 male Sprague Dawley rats aged eight weeks old, were used in this study. The animals were obtained from Atatürk University Experimental Research and Application Centre and kept under standard laboratory conditions. Commercial pellet chow and fresh drinking water were available ad libitum. Rats were divided into five groups: Group I (n= 6); referred as control. Group II (n=6); referred as TOE150 (150 mg/kg). Group III (n=6); referred as TOE200 (200 mg/kg). Group IV (n=6); referred as TOE250 (250 mg/kg). Group V (n=6); referred as Paracetamol (PRC) (2 g/kg). The treatment was performed for consecutive 8 days. The animals were tranquilized and sacrificed on 9th day of study. Blood samples, cauda epididymal semen samples and testes tissues were collected. Routine semen examinations were performed and oxidative stress levels of testicular tissues were assayed. Reproductive organ weights [total testes weight (TTW) and total cauda epididymal weights (TCEW)] were recorded. Motility in TOE250 group was significantly higher when compared to the other groups (P<0.05). Velocity of sperm cells in PRC group was significantly lower when compared to the other groups (P<0.05). Dead sperm rate in control group was significantly higher when compared to the other groups (P<0.001). On the other hand, the lowest TCEW was in TOE150 group (P<0.05). There were no differences in terms of TTW among all groups. Malondialdehyde (MDA) level of PRC group was significantly higher than the treatment groups (P<0.05). Besides, glutathione peroxidase (GPx) levels of PRC group were lower than the other groups (P<0.001). Superoxide dismutase (SOD) level of PRC group was significantly lower than the treatment groups (P<0.001). The lowest catalase (CAT) level was in PRC group and the highest glutathione (GSH) level was in T200 group (P<0.001). In conclusion, it was observed that TOE could use as alternative of PRC and hence can be avoided from negative effects of PRC on biochemical and reproductive parameters. Keywords : Taraxacum officinale, Paracetamol, Reproduction, Rat, Biochemical parameters