title: Short-term levosimendan treatment protects rat testes against oxidative stress.
abstract: The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of short-term levosimendan exposure on oxidant/antioxidant status and trace element levels in the testes of rats under physiological conditions. Twenty male Wistar albino rats were randomly divided into two groups of 10 animals each. Group 1 was not exposed to levosimendan and served as control. Levosimendan (12 µg/kg) diluted in 10 mL 0.9% NaCl was administered intraperitoneally to group 2. Animals of both groups were sacrificed after 3 days and their testes were harvested for the determination of changes in tissue oxidant/antioxidant status and trace element levels. Tissue malondialdehyde (MDA) was significantly lower in the levosimendan group (P < 0.001) than in the untreated control group and superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) levels were significantly higher in the levosimendan group (P < 0.001). Carbonic anhydrase, catalase and GSH levels were not significantly different from controls. Mg and Zn levels of testes were significantly higher (P < 0.001) and Co, Pb, Cd, Mn, and Cu were significantly lower (P < 0.001) in group 2 compared to group 1. Fe levels were similar for the two groups (P = 0.94). These results suggest that 3-day exposure to levosimendan induced a significant decrease in tissue MDA level, which is a lipid peroxidation product and an indicator of oxidative stress, and a significant increase in the activity of an important number of the enzymes that protect against oxidative stress in rat testes.
authors.affiliation: Urology Clinic, The State Hospital of Mus, Mus, Turkey.
authors.forename: M B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Yuksel
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kavak
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Gecit
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Basel
authors.forename: H A
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Gümrükçüoğlu
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Demir
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Meral
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase / Q000378:metabolism; D006835:Hydrazones / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D008315:Malondialdehyde / Q000378:metabolism*; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects*; D011724:Pyridazines / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000378:metabolism*; D000077464:Simendan; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000378:metabolism; D014131:Trace Elements / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D006835:Hydrazones; D011724:Pyridazines; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D014131:Trace Elements; D000077464:Simendan; D008315:Malondialdehyde; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase