Effect of linseed oil on histopathology of reproductive organs of Rabbit

Abstract

In the last decade, the fertility rate in human populations has linearly decreased due to lifestyle and low intake of essential fatty acids. The present study was designed to evaluate linseed oil's effects on the histopathology of rabbits' reproductive organs by exposing mature rabbits to low, medium, and high doses of 1%, 2%, and 3% of the diet, respectively. The research was conducted on eighty mature breeding rabbits, weighing 1-1.5kg, and classified into four groups. Each group had twenty rabbits with equal gender ratios kept in separate cages under appropriate environmental conditions. Groups A, B, and C were fed 1%, 2%, and 3% linseed oil, respectively, while group D was the control group fed basal diet only. On the 15^th, 30^th, and 45^th day of investigation, for histopathological examination, rabbits were slaughtered to remove testes and ovaries and stained tissues by H & E stain. The histopathological examination of the testes showed an improvement in the length of seminiferous tubules and the diameter of the seminiferous epithelium. In addition, the thickness of interstitial cells and Sertoli cells also increased in the testes. After histopathological findings of ovaries, it was revealed that the number and size of follicles increased in the ovaries of rabbits fed linseed oil-supplemented diets. At the same time, maximum improvement was recorded at 3% linseed oil supplementation level. Conclusively, an increase in linseed oil from 1% to 3% in the rabbit diet improved the histopathology of the reproductive gonads and can increase the overall fertility of rabbits.

Keywords: Fertility; Gonads; Linum usitatissimum; Microtomy; Polyunsaturated fatty acid

http://dx.doi.org/10.19045/bspab.2025.140061