The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of green tea extract (GTE) on the spermatic parameters of Wistar rats, submitted or not to testicular heat shock (HS). For this, 48 animals were treated according to the experimental groups (G1: not exposed to HS and untreated; G2: exposed to HS and untreated; G3: not exposed to HS and treated with GTE; G4: exposed to HS and treated with GTE). Subgroups of rats were euthanized on days 15, 30, and 60 to recover the spermatozoa. The total motility (TM), vigor, spermatic morphology and concentration, mitochondrial membrane potential, plasma membrane integrity, and acrosome integrity (ACi) were analyzed. The TM was higher in G1 and G3 than in G2 and G4 on day 30, and higher in G4 on day 60. The overall means of TM and vigor were higher in G1 and G3 than in G2 and G4, as well as TM on day 60. For the morphology, G2 and G4 were lower than G1 and G3 on day 15, and G4 was lower than G1 and G3 on day 30. Moreover, in G1 and G3 morphology was higher on days 15 and 30, and in G4 it was lower on day 30, with the overall means being higher in G1 and G3 than in G2 and G4, as well as on days 15 and 60 compared to day 30. The overall mean of ACi, on day 30, was lower than on days 15 and 60 for all the groups. Therefore, HS is shown to be widely deleterious to the gametes, and the daily administration of 100 mg/kg green tea extract does not improve the spermatic parameters of Wistar rats, submitted or not to testicular HS, although it leads to better recovery of spermatic motility and morphology at 60 days.

Objective: This study evaluated the effects of green tea extract (GTE) on the recovery of testicular parenchyma of adult Wistar rats submitted to heat stress (HS). Methodology: Animals (n=84) were distributed and treated, according to the experimental group (G1: unstressed and untreated; G2: stressed and untreated; G3: unstressed and treated; G4: stressed and treated). Results: The overall mean of testicular weight, epithelial height and tubular diameter were lower (P<0.05) in G2 and G4, and day 60 presented a higher value (P<0.05) to the two first parameters. The gonadosomatic index and the volumes of the seminiferous epithelium were lower (P<0.05) in G2 and G4. The overall means of proper tunica volume was lower (P<0.05) on day 30. The seminiferous tubule on days 15 and 30 presented lower values (P<0.05) in G2 and G4, although with higher values (P<0.05) on day 60. The volume of lymphatic space was higher (P<0.05) in G2 and G4, being day 60 higher (P<0.05) than day 15. Greater preservation and recovery of seminiferous epithelium occurred in G4, compared to G2. Conclusion: Thus, the GTE administration is an effective way to improving tissue recovery after testicular damage, induced by short-term heat.