Zinc improves sexual performance and erectile function by preventing penile oxidative injury and upregulating circulating testosterone in lead-exposed rats

ABSTRACT

Aim:

The present study evaluated the effect of lead exposure with and without zinc therapy on male sexual and erectile function.

Methods:

Twenty male Wistar rats were randomly assigned into four groups; the control, zinc-treated, lead-exposed, lead + zinc-treated groups. Administrations were per os daily for 28 days.

Results:

Zinc co-administration significantly improved absolute and relative penile weights and the latencies and frequencies of mount, intromission, and ejaculation in lead-exposed rats. Also, zinc ameliorated lead-induced reductions in motivation to mate and penile reflex/erection. These findings were accompanied by attenuation of lead-induced suppression of circulating nitric oxide (NO), penile cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP), dopamine, serum luteinizing hormone, follicle-stimulating hormone, and testosterone. In addition, zinc alleviated lead-induced upregulation of penile activities of acetylcholinesterase and xanthine oxidase (XO), and uric acid (UA) and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels. Furthermore, zinc ameliorated the lead-induced decline in penile nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) and reduced glutathione (GSH) levels, and catalase, superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), and glutathione-S-transferase (GST) activities.

Conclusion:

This study revealed that co-administration of zinc improves lead-induced sexual and erectile dysfunction by suppressing XO/UA-driven oxidative stress and upregulating testosterone via Nrf2-mediated signaling.

KEYWORDS:

• Erection
• heavy metals
• infertility
• lead
• oxidative stress
• supplements
• testosterone
• zinc

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Authors’ contributions

Conceptualization and design: BEE, ATM, and ARE. Data curation: BEE, ATM, APJ, OAA, OJN, HMA, ADH, and ARE. Funding acquisition: BEE, ATM, APJ, OAA, OJN, HMA, ADH, and ARE. Investigation: BEE, ATM, APJ, OAA, OJN, HMA, ADH, and ARE. Methodology: BEE and ARE. Project administration: BEE, ATM, APJ, OAA, OJN, HMA, ADH, and ARE. Supervision: BEE, OJN, and ARE. Validation: BEE, ATM, APJ, HMA, and ARE. Writing-original draft: BEE, ATM, APJ, OAA, and ARE. Writing-review and editing and final approval: BEE, ATM, APJ, OAA, OJN, HMA, ADH, and ARE.

Availability of data and materials

Data will be made available upon reasonable request from the corresponding author.