Curcumin attenuates ischemia-reperfusion injury in rat testis. - GreenMedInfo Summary
Curcumin attenuates ischemia-reperfusion injury in rat testis.
Fertil Steril. 2009 Jan;91(1):271-7. Epub 2008 Jan 28. PMID: 18222428
Department of Urology, Third Affiliated Hospital of Hangzhou City, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou City, Zhejiang Province, China. [email protected]
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of curcumin, a potent antioxidant, on testicular ischemia-reperfusion injury caused by overgeneration of reactive oxygen species (ROS) after testicular torsion-detorsion.
DESIGN: Controlled experimental study using rats.
SETTING: Research laboratory.
ANIMAL(S): Sixty adult male Sprague-Dawley rats.
INTERVENTION(S): Rats in the control group underwent a sham operation of the left testis. In the torsion-detorsion group, the left testis was rotated 720 degrees for 2 hours. Rats in treatment group received the same surgical procedure as the torsion-detorsion group, but curcumin was administered IV at repair of testicular torsion.
MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Testicular activity of xanthine oxidase, which catalyzes production of ROS; malondialdehyde level (an indicator of ROS content); protein expression level of heme oxygenase-1, which catalyzes antioxidant generation; and spermatogenesis.
RESULT(S): Unilateral testicular torsion-detorsion caused significant increases in xanthine oxidase activity, malondialdehyde level, and heme oxygenase-1 protein expression level and caused a significant decrease in testicular spermatogenesis in ipsilateral testes. The rats treated with curcumin had significant decreases in xanthine oxidase activity and malondialdehyde level and had significant increases in heme oxygenase-1 protein expression level and testicular spermatogenesis in ipsilateral testes, compared with the torsion-detorsion group.
CONCLUSION(S): The curcumin exerts a protective effect on testicular ischemia-reperfusion injury.