Effect of Oral Supplementation of Letrozole Nano-Emulsion on Puberty in Male Barki Lambs

The study hypothesize that letrozole nano-emulsion (LTZ-NE) can enhance male lambs’ puberty under heat stress conditions. Twenty lambs (4 to 5 months old) were divided equally in two groups of ten each viz., control and LTZ-NE (oral administration of 0.025 mg/kg LTZ-NE, biweekly for three months). Testosterone, estradiol (E2), body weight, body and testicular dimensions, testicular blood flow indices, nitric oxide (NO), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase, total antioxidants (TAC), malondialdehyde (MDA), creatinine, albumin, aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) were measured. In LTZ-NE group, significant (P<0.05 / 0.01) increase in body weight from 6 to 12 weeks, wither height from 2 to 12 weeks, testes volume, TAC and catalase activity throughout the experiment, MDA except week 2, albumin during 0, 2, 8 and 12 weeks, E2 and NO from 6 to 12 weeks and scrotal circumference during 10 and 12 weeks were observed. LTZ-NE significantly (P<0.05 / 0.01) reduced testicular artery pulsatility index, SOD, creatinine and AST throughout the experiment, ALT until 6 weeks, testosterone during 2 and 8 weeks and E2/testosterone ratio from 0 to 10 weeks. The results indicated that LTZ-NE promotes growth, testicular development, androgenic hormones, oxidant-antioxidant status and no adverse effects on liver and kidney functions.