Lithium induced, oxidative stress and related damages in testes and heart in male rats: The protective effects of Malva sylvestris extract

Abstract Malva sylvestris is widely used in Mediterranean and European traditional medicine and ethnoveterinary for the treatment of various diseases. This study, carried out on male Wistar rats, evaluates the beneficial effects of Malva sylvestris extract upon lithium carbonate-induced damages in testes and heart. For this purpose, Malva sylvestris extract at a dose of 0.2 g/kg was orally administrated, followed by 25 mg/kg lithium carbonate (intraperitoneal injection, twice daily). Lithium carbonate treatment significantly (p  M . sylvestris extract affords substantial protection in testes and heart by altering all the parameters to near normal levels that were further confirmed by histological examination. The beneficial effect of M . Sylvestris extract in several organs could be attributed to the interaction of antioxidant components, such as complex polysaccharides, as confirmed by phytochemical analysis.