Objective     To determine the protective effects of meloxicam on deterioration in reproductive performance induced by chronic aluminum overload in rats.     Methods    A total of 30 Wistar

male rats were randomly and equally divided into 5 groups

normal control

aluminum gluconate group

meloxicam group

aluminum gluconate plus low- and high-dose meloxicam groups. Aluminum gluconate was intragastrically administered at 200 mg Al

3＋

/(kg·day)

and meloxicam was given with same way in 30 min after aluminum administration at 1 or 3 mg/(kg·day). Rats of each group were administrated in 5 d every week for 20 weeks. After which

all rats were killed

and their testis and epididymis were dissected out and weighted for calculating their organic coefficient. Morphologic changes of testis were evaluated by HE staining. Expression of COX-2 was detected by Western blotting.     Results    The weights of body

testis and epididymis in the aluminum gluconate group was significantly lower compared with those of the other 4 groups (P0.05). There was no significant difference in these values among meloxicam group

aluminum gluconate plus high-dose meloxicam groups and control (P0.05). Though no difference was seen in body weight between the aluminum gluconate group and the aluminum gluconate plus low-dose meloxicam groups (P0.05)

obvious difference was found in the weights of testis and epididymis (P0.05). There was no obvious difference in the testis and epididymis coefficients (P0.05). HE staining showed that the germinal epithelium of the seminiferous tubules became obviously thinner and spermatids were almost absent; sperms were rare or absent in the lumen in the the aluminum gluconate group. But in the high-dose meloxicam group

there were large numbers of spermatids and sperms in the seminiferous tubule lumen. Normal structure and morphology was found in the meloxicam group

as the control group. Meloxicam obviously inhibited the over-expression of COX-2

especially when it was at high dose (P0.05）.     Conclusion    Meloxicam has protective effects on reproductive deterioration induced by chronic aluminum overload in rats

which may be through inhibiting COX-2 activity and attenuating the inflamm

ation and oxidative stress injury.