Ripe fruit Carica papaya administration attenuates testicular connective tissue alterations in experimental alcohol toxicity model

BACKGROUND: The use of fruits as natural remedies to mitigate cellular and tissue induced alterations caused by exogenous toxins like alcohol have been widely documented, and the ethnopharmacological potentials of the Carica papaya have also been reported. AIM AND OBJECTIVES: The study aims to investigate if ripe fruit carica papaya administration attenuates testicular connective tissue alterations in experimental alcohol toxicity model. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty (30) animals weighing between 150 to 220 g were used for this study, divided into 6 groups as follows; group 1 received distilled water 2 ml per kilogram body weight, group 2 received 40 % ethanol 5 ml per kilogram body weight, group 3 received 40 % ethanol 5 ml + clomiphene citrate 50 mg per kilogram body weight, groups 4, 5 and 6 received 40 % ethanol 5 ml + 500, 1000 and 1500 mg C. papaya per kilogram body weight respectively. Rats were weighed and thereafter sacrificed by anaesthetizing with chloroform, thoraco-abdominal wall dissected to access the heart and the testes. Harvested testes were fixed and sent to the laboratory for processing and histological analysis. RESULTS: Result of histological analysis showed ethanol treatment induced testicular atrophy, spermatogenic cell degeneration, interstitial tissue vacuolations, connective tissue disruptions, conditions which were ameliorated by C. papaya. This ameliorative potential of C. papaya appeared to be effective and dose dependent. CONCLUSION: While it is attributable that C. papaya may confer protective capabilities against ethanol induced testicular connective tissue damages, this study provides evidence that moderate intake of C. papaya ameliorated injuries induced by ethanol to the testicular connective tissue of rats with a mechanism believed to be antioxidant mediated.