Protective Role of Hesperidin in Finasteride-Induced Testicular Toxicity in Adult Male Wistar Rats: Insights Into Oxidative Stress, Apoptosis, and Ultrastructure of Seminiferous Tubules

The study investigated the protective role of hesperidin against finasteride-induced testicular toxicity in 60 adult male Wistar rats. Finasteride, a 5α-reductase inhibitor, is known to cause oxidative stress, apoptosis, and structural damage in testicular tissue. Hesperidin, a bioflavonoid with antioxidant properties, was found to mitigate these adverse effects by down-regulating oxidants and pro-apoptotic markers while up-regulating antioxidants and anti-apoptotic markers, thereby preserving the seminiferous tubular structure. Despite the promising results, the study's limitations include a relatively small sample size and short duration.