Effects of Vitamins C and E on Blood and Male Reproductive Physiology: Results of an Experimental Study in Wistar Rats Chronically Exposed to Sodium Nitrate

There is ever growing risk of chronic exposure to nitrates due to their widespread usage in medicine, agriculture, manufacturing industry, and presence in the environment as pollutants. Particularly common is exposure to nitrates through the use of nitrosable drugs used to treat heart disease and consumption of vegetables grown on heavily fertilized farmlands. Oxidative stress is known to be involved as a pathophysiological mechanism in many disease processes, including chronic toxicity induced by nitrates. Currently, intensive research is on-going to discover the role of the available anti-oxidants in converting diseases. This book presents the findings of an experimental study aimed at characterizing the effects of anti-oxidant vitamins C and E on the negative effects resulting from chronic sodium nitrate exposure on some blood parameters, sperm count and male reproductive hormone. This book will be especially useful to academics, researchers and practitioners in medicine, pharmaceutical, food and biotechnology industries.