Mitigation of Nigella sativa and Moringa oleifera against Sperm DNA Fragmentation through Antioxidant Activity in Obesity-I nduced Rats

Obesity has become a global health concern and its impact on reproductive health, especially in men gaining attention. This study used obese-induced male rats as an animal model to investigate the therapeutic potential of Nigella sativa (NS) and Moringa oleifera (MO) in addressing infertility issues related to obesity. The study focused on the antioxidant properties of N. sativa and M. oleifera and their potential to reduce oxidative stress and sperm DNA fragmentation, both of which are major causes of male infertility associated with obesity. The study utilized 36 male Sprague Dawley rats divided into two main groups, namely the control group and the treatment group, each consisting of six rats. The control group was further divided into three subgroups: normal, negative (obese-induced rats without treatment), and positive (obese-induced rats given 10 mg/kg/day orlistat). The treatment group was divided into three subgroups: NS200 group (200 mg/kg/day), MO400 group (400 mg/kg/day), and MO400+NS200 ( MO (400 mg/kg/day) + NS (200 mg/kg/day)) group for a treatment period of 40 days. All rats, except those in the normal group, were induced into obesity through a high-fat diet (HFD) until their Lee index exceeded 310, before treatment. The results showed a significant increase in specific SOD enzyme activity (p<0.05), a significant reduction in oxidative stress marker (MDA) (p<0.05), and a significant reduction in sperm DNA fragmentation percentage (%SDF) (p<0.05) in rats treated with NS, MO, and MO+NS herbs respectively compared to the negative control rats. These findings provide important information on the antioxidant mechanisms of NS and MO herbs that are capable of providing protective effects on male reproductive health in the context of obesity.