title: Remote organ injury induced by myocardial ischemia and reperfusion on reproductive organs, and protective effect of melatonin in male rats.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Myocardial ischemia and reperfusion (MI-R) leads to remote organ injury associated with oxidative stress. Melatonin is a well-known antioxidant and free-radical scavenger. This study was conducted to examine whether MI-R causes damage in the testes and sperm quality, and to investigate the possible protective effect of exogenous melatonin on these parameters in an in vivo rat model.
  
  
  METHODS
  Experimental study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Experimental Research Center, Firat University Medical School, Elaziğ, Turkey.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eight-week-old male Wistar rats (n = 18).
  
  
  METHODS
  To produce MI-R, a branch of the descending left coronary artery was occluded for 30 minutes, followed by 120-minute reperfusion. Melatonin (10 mg/kg) or vehicle was given 10 minutes before ischemia via the jugular vein.
  
  
  METHODS
  Reproductive organ weights and epididymal sperm concentration, sperm motility, abnormal sperm rate, and testicular-tissue malondialdehyde (MDA) and glutathione (GSH) levels were examined after reperfusion.
  
  
  RESULTS
  MI-R significantly decreased epididymal sperm motility, and increased the testes-tissue level of MDA, compared to the control group. Administration of melatonin reversed the harmful effects of MI-R significantly. However, MI-R did not change sperm concentration, GSH levels, and reproductive organ weights.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings indicate that MI-R leads to damage of testis tissue and sperm motility, and melatonin protects against MI-R-induced reproductive-organ injury. These results may also encourage the use of antioxidants to reduce remote organ injury in the testis after MI-R.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Firat, Elaziğ, Turkey.
authors.forename: Engin
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Sahna
authors.forename: Gaffari
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Türk
authors.forename: Ahmet
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Atessahin
authors.forename: Seval
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yilmaz
authors.forename: Ercument
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Olmez
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005837:Genitalia, Male / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000293:injuries* / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008550:Melatonin / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017202:Myocardial Ischemia / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D015428:Myocardial Reperfusion Injury / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D020011:Protective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar
chemical_list: D020011:Protective Agents; D008550:Melatonin