protective effects of royal jelly on oxidative stress and in vitro fertilization outcomes in a wistar rat model of varicocele

Varicocele, characterized by the abnormal tortuosity and dilation of the pampiniform plexus veins in the spermatic cord, is the most common surgically correctable cause of male infertility. this study aimed to evaluate the protective effects of royal jelly on sperm parameters and in vitro fertilization (ivf) outcomes in a rat model of varicocele. thirty adult male rats were randomly divided into five groups (n = 6): control, varicocele, varicocele with low-dose royal jelly (50 mg/kg), varicocele with medium-dose royal jelly (100 mg/kg), and varicocele with high-dose royal jelly (200 mg/kg). after a 28-day treatment period, malondialdehyde (mda), total antioxidant capacity (tac), sperm parameters, and ivf outcomes were assessed. the varicocele group showed significant reductions in tac, sperm count, motility, viability, and embryonic development outcomes, including zygote formation, two-cell embryos, blastocysts, and hatched embryos, compared to the control group. royal jelly treatment improved sperm parameters, fertilization rates, and embryo development in a dose-dependent manner. these findings suggest that royal jelly mitigates the adverse effects of varicocele on fertility in rat, likely due to its antioxidant and free radical scavenging properties.