Effect of melatonin on epididymal sperm quality after testicular ischemia/reperfusion in rats.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the effect of melatonin, a pineal secretory product that prevents testicular ischemia/reperfusion (IR) injury through its antioxidative properties, on epididymal sperm quality in a rat testicular IR injury model.


METHODS
Experimental study.


METHODS
University pharmacology laboratory.


METHODS
Fifty-six 8-week-old male Wistar albino rats.


METHODS
Left testicular artery and vein occluded for 1 hour; before the bilateral orchiectomy, the organ was allowed to reperfuse 30 days. Melatonin (10 mg/kg IP) or vehicle (1% ethanol in saline) was administrated for 10 minutes before reperfusion and for 1 hour after reperfusion.


METHODS
After 24 hours of reperfusion, the rats were decapitated, and the testicular tissue samples were obtained for histologic examination. In addition, after 30 days of reperfusion, the epididymal sperm concentration, motility, and abnormal sperm rates were determined in the sperm collected from the epididymis.


RESULTS
A statistically significant decrease in sperm concentration resulted from IR as well as an increase in sperm abnormalities, but the sperm motility did not change. Melatonin treatment did not prevent the IR-induced reduction in sperm concentration. However, melatonin treatment statistically significantly decreased the sperm abnormalities when compared with the IR injured samples.


CONCLUSIONS
Melatonin may improve sperm morphology for a protective effect in IR-induced testicular injury.
Kurcer
Zehra
Z
Department of Pharmacology, Zonguldak Karaelmas University, 67600 Zonguldak, Turkey. zykurcer@yahoo.com
Hekimoglu
Askin
A
Aral
Faruk
F
Baba
Fusun
F
Sahna
Engin
E