Protective effects of luteolin on rat testis following exposure to 900 MHz electromagnetic field.

PAPER pubmed Biotechnic & histochemistry : official publication of the Biological Stain Commission 2019 Animal study Effect: mixed Evidence: Low

Read original paper → DOI: 10.1080/10520295.2019.1566568 PMID: 30669870 Evidence Lab

Abstract

Increasing cell phone use calls for clarification of the consequences of long term exposure to electromagnetic fields (EMF). We investigated the effects of EMF on the testes of 12-week-old rats as well as possible protective effects of luteolin on testis tissue. Twenty-four Wistar albino rats were randomly divided into four groups: control, EMF, luteolin, and EMF + luteolin. The number of Leydig cells, primary spermatocytes and spermatids were reduced in the EMF group compared to the control group. In the EMF + luteolin group, the number of Leydig cells, primary spermatocytes and spermatids was significantly greater than the EMF group. We found an increase in superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity in the EMF group compared to the control group. In the EMF group, we found decreased wet weight of testes and serum testosterone levels compared to the control group. Decreased SOD enzyme activity, and increased serum testosterone levels and weight of the testes were observed in the EMF + luteolin group compared to the EMF group. EMF also affected sperm morphology. We found that in rat testis repeated exposure to 900 MHz EMF caused changes in testicular tissue and that the antioxidant, luteolin, substantially reduced the deleterious effects of EMF.

AI evidence extraction

At a glance

Study type

Animal study

Effect direction

mixed

Population

12-week-old Wistar albino rats

Sample size

Exposure

RF mobile phone · 900 MHz · long term; repeated exposure (details not specified)

Evidence strength

Low

Confidence: 78% · Peer-reviewed: yes

Main findings

Compared with controls, the EMF-exposed group had reduced numbers of Leydig cells, primary spermatocytes and spermatids, decreased testes wet weight and serum testosterone, increased SOD activity, and altered sperm morphology. In the EMF + luteolin group, these EMF-associated changes were partially reversed versus EMF alone (higher cell counts, higher testosterone and testes weight, and lower SOD activity).

Outcomes measured

Leydig cell count
Primary spermatocyte count
Spermatid count
Superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity
Testes wet weight
Serum testosterone levels
Sperm morphology
Testicular tissue changes

Limitations

Exposure parameters beyond frequency (e.g., SAR, field strength, daily duration) not reported in the abstract
Animal study; generalizability to humans is uncertain
Small sample size (n=24)

View raw extracted JSON

{
    "study_type": "animal",
    "exposure": {
        "band": "RF",
        "source": "mobile phone",
        "frequency_mhz": 900,
        "sar_wkg": null,
        "duration": "long term; repeated exposure (details not specified)"
    },
    "population": "12-week-old Wistar albino rats",
    "sample_size": 24,
    "outcomes": [
        "Leydig cell count",
        "Primary spermatocyte count",
        "Spermatid count",
        "Superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity",
        "Testes wet weight",
        "Serum testosterone levels",
        "Sperm morphology",
        "Testicular tissue changes"
    ],
    "main_findings": "Compared with controls, the EMF-exposed group had reduced numbers of Leydig cells, primary spermatocytes and spermatids, decreased testes wet weight and serum testosterone, increased SOD activity, and altered sperm morphology. In the EMF + luteolin group, these EMF-associated changes were partially reversed versus EMF alone (higher cell counts, higher testosterone and testes weight, and lower SOD activity).",
    "effect_direction": "mixed",
    "limitations": [
        "Exposure parameters beyond frequency (e.g., SAR, field strength, daily duration) not reported in the abstract",
        "Animal study; generalizability to humans is uncertain",
        "Small sample size (n=24)"
    ],
    "evidence_strength": "low",
    "confidence": 0.7800000000000000266453525910037569701671600341796875,
    "peer_reviewed_likely": "yes",
    "keywords": [
        "900 MHz",
        "RF-EMF",
        "mobile phone",
        "rat",
        "testis",
        "spermatogenesis",
        "Leydig cells",
        "testosterone",
        "SOD",
        "oxidative stress",
        "luteolin",
        "antioxidant",
        "sperm morphology"
    ],
    "suggested_hubs": []
}

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AI-extracted fields are generated from the abstract/metadata and may be incomplete or incorrect. This content is for informational purposes only and is not medical advice.

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