Fig. 3.

Effects of Korean Red Ginseng extract (KRGE) on busulfan-induced histological damage in the seminiferous tubules. The testis from normal mice had regular spermatogonia (white arrows), primary/secondary spermatocytes (white arrowheads), spermatids (red arrows), spermatozoa (red arrowheads), and Sertoli cells (asterisks) in seminiferous tubules and Leydig cells (L) between the tubules (A and E). Compared with normal mice (A and E), animals that received treatment with busulfan alone showed significant damage in the epithelium (B and F) and reductions in the diameter of the seminiferous tubules (I), whereas pretreatment with 100 mg/kg KRGE before busulfan treatment significantly restored histological damage (C and G) and reduced the diameter of the seminiferous tubules (I). Treatment with KRGE alone did not affect the histological structure and diameter of seminiferous tubules (D, H, and I). The diameter of seminiferous tubule is indicated using the two-headed arrows in A (n = 7, *p < 0.05, compared with busulfan alone). Scale bars = 100 μm. Con, control.