Ephedra herb reduces adriamycin-induced testicular toxicity by upregulating the gonadotropin-releasing hormone signalling pathway.

Objective: We investigated the protective effects of ephedra herb (HEPH) on adriamycin-induced testicular toxicity in rats and explored the potential mechanisms underlying these effects.

Methods: A rat model of adriamycin injury was established, and sperm motility-related indicator and oxidative stress levels in the testis were evaluated. Serum levels of sex hormones and levels of testicular cell apoptosis were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and flow cytometry, respectively. Western blotting (WB), immunofluorescence analyses, and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) were performed to evaluate the gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) signalling pathway- and meiosis-related genes and proteins. In subsequent in vitro experiments, adriamycin was used to stimulate GC-1 cells, which were treated with HEPH, ephedrine, or pseudoephedrine. Cell viability was assessed using flow cytometry to detect apoptosis and reactive oxygen species, whereas the GnRH signalling pathway and levels of meiosis-related genes and proteins were evaluated by InCell WB, a high-content imaging system, and RT-PCR.

Results: Per in vivo experiments, HEPH restored testicular weight and function, sperm characteristics, serum and tissue hormonal levels, and antioxidant defences and significantly activated the GnRH signalling pathway- and meiosis-related protein levels. All protective effects of HEPH against adriamycin-induced injury were antagonised by the GnRH antagonist cetrorelix. In vitro, HEPH, ephedrine, and pseudoephedrine significantly reduced adriamycin-induced GC-1 cell apoptosis and reactive oxygen species levels and increased the expression of GnRH signalling pathway- and meiosis-related proteins. The effect of pseudoephedrine was greater than that of ephedrine, and these findings may be an important basis for understanding the effects of HEPH.