Sildenafil Citrate Preserved the Antioxidant System and Testicular Function Markers Better Than Aqueous Extract of Trigonella foenum-graecum and Selected Alcoholic Bitters in Male Wistar Rats

Several pharmacological and non-pharmacological substances are widely consumed as aphrodisiacs due to their perceived benefits, often with⁠ little consideration for their potential adverse biological effects. This study evaluated and compared the effects of aqueous extract of Trigonella foenum⁠-graecum, sildenafil citrate, ⁠ and a selected alcoholic bitters on the antioxidant system and testicular⁠ function markers of adult male Wistar rats. An experimental randomized controlled design was adopted using forty (40) adult male Wistar rats assigned into eight groups (n = 5⁠). Groups 1 and 2 received low and high doses of Trigonella foenum-gra⁠ecum⁠ extract respectively; groups 3 and 4 received high and low doses of sildenafil citrate respectively; groups 5 and 6 received high and low doses of alcoholic bitters; group 7 received low doses of all test substances concurrently; while group 8 served as the control and received only rat feed and water. Treatments were administered orally for six weeks. At the end of the experimental period, the animals were sacrificed by cervical dislocation, and antioxidant enzymes and testicular function markers were analyzed using standard biochemical methods. Data⁠ were analyzed using one-way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) followed by Tukey’s HSD post hoc test. The results showed a statistically significant reduction (p < 0.05) in most antioxidant parameters in the groups exposed to Trigonella foenum-graecum and alcoholic⁠ bitters when compared with the control, indicating compromised antioxidant defense. In contrast, the sildenafil citrate–treated groups showed relatively milder effects on antioxidant status, with no statistically significant differences⁠ in most parameters. However, a statistically significant increase (p < 0.05) in acid phosphatase activity was observed in several treated groups, suggesting varying degrees of testicular degeneration. Overall, the findings demonstrate that chronic administration of Trigonella foenum-grae