Effect of Apocynin on Testicular Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury in Male Albino Rats

Abstract
Background: Apocynin, obtained from the roots of the Apocynum cannabinum plant, is a substance that has the effect of a NOX inhibitor. Apocynin (4-hydroxy-3- methoxyace-tophenone) plays a role in the production of superoxide inhibitors. Many pervious studies demonstrated the positive effects of apocynin on renal Ischemia Reperfusion (I/R) in a rat model.
Aim of Study: The aim of this work is to study the effect of apocynin on testicular ischemia/reperfusion injury in male albino rats.
Material and Methods: The present work was carried on 30 male albino rats. The rats were divided into three groups, (10 rats for each). Sham operated group (Group I): Delivery of the left testis without twisting and the testis was relocated into the scrotum. Ischemia/reperfusion group (Group II): Testicular torsion was done by rotating the left testis 720º in anticlockwise direction, these rats were injected intraperito-neally by a single dose of 10ml normal saline solution. Apocynin treated group (Group III): The same surgical pro-cedure was done as in Group II; these rats were injected intraperitoneally by a single dose of apocynin at a dose of 20 mg/Kg 1/2 an hour before the detorsion. At the end of the experiment, the animals were anesthetized, then the animals were sacrificed by cervical decapitation. The blood samples were collected.
Results: The results of the present work revealed that the 4 hours torsion group showed significant increase in testicular malondialdehyde, serum FSH and LH and multiple apoptotic cells showed by immunohistochemical examination of testic-ular caspase-3, however it produces significant decrease in testicular GPX level and serum free testosterone level when these results compared to sham operated group, these results were confirmed by histopathological examination which showed thick basement membrane, loss of cohesions of spermatocytes, congested interstitial vessels, oedema, seques-tration of spermatocytes and spermatogonia in lumen of tubule and separation of basement membrane. The apocynin treated torsion detorsion group showed significant decrease in testic-ular malondialdehyde, serum FSH, LH and less apoptotic cells showed by immunohistochemical examination of testicular caspase-3, however it produce significant increase in testicular GPX level and serum free testosterone level when these results were compared to torsion detorsion group, these results were confirmed by histopathological examination which showed mild thickening of basement membrane and mild loss of cohesion of spermatogenic cells. Interstitial tissue showed mild congestion of vessels with minimal oedema.
Conclusion: We concluded that there is a significant role of Apocynin on testicular ischemia/reperfusion shown from its effect on MDA, GPX, caspase-3, testosterone, serum FSH, LH in addition to its role in improvement of histopathological picture.