The profile of spermatogenic cells and superoxide dismutase in the testis of rats under boiled grobogan tempe and soybean flour treatment

Tempe is a traditional food that is well-known in Indonesia, made by fermentation of boiled soybeans using Rhizopus sp. Isoflavones are the bioactive compound in tempe. The aim of this research was to analyze the number of spermatogenic cells, the number of Leydig cells, and antioxidant Copper, Zinc-Superoxide Dismutase (Cu,Zn-SOD) content in the testicular tissues of rats treated with boiled Grobogan tempe and soybean flour. This research used 15 Sprague-Dawley rats that were divided into five groups: casein treated group, boiled Grobogan tempe flour 10% treated group, boiled Grobogan tempe flour 20% treated group, boiled Grobogan soybean flour 10% treated group, and boiled Grobogan soybean flour 20% treated group. The treatment was given for 90 days (European Food Safety Authority - subchronic test). The testicular tissues were subjected to standard method tissue processing using paraffin and staining using hematoxylin-eosin and a immunohistochemical technique for the content of Cu,Zn-SOD. The results showed that boiled Grobogan tempe and soybean flour increased the number of spermatogenic cells, the number of Leydig cells, and Cu,Zn-SOD antioxidant content in the testicular tissues of experimental rats. Treatment of boiled Grobogan tempe flour 20% gave the best result in increasing Cu,Zn-SOD antioxidant in the testicular tissues.