A comparison of the effects of N-acetylcysteine and ethyl pyruvate on experimental testicular ischemia-reperfusion injury.
OBJECTIVE
To compare the effects of N-acetylcysteine (NAC) and ethyl pyruvate (EP) on experimental testicular ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury.


METHODS
Randomized, controlled, experimental study.


METHODS
University hospital.


METHODS
Twenty-four mature male Wistar rats.


METHODS
Rats were divided into four groups: control group, torsion-detorsion (T/D) group, EP group, and NAC group. In the pretreatment of the NAC and EP groups, 20 mg/kg NAC and 50 mg/kg EP were given intraperitoneally (IP) 30 minutes before detorsion.


METHODS
Serum ischemia-modified albumin (IMA), tissue and serum malondialdehyde, and myeloperoxidase activity levels and histopathological damage scores were then compared.


RESULTS
Ethyl pyruvate and N-acetylcysteine exhibited a protective effect against I/R injury. Of the biochemical parameters evaluated as a result of testicular I/R, only IMA levels were significantly elevated. There was a strong and significant correlation between serum IMA levels and histopathological injury scores, and the increase in serum IMA level exhibited a strong parallel with the increase in histopathological injury. In the EP group, although the histopathological injury score was similar to that of the control group, serum IMA levels were significantly elevated.


CONCLUSIONS
Both NAC and EP, the effects of which on I/R injury are evaluated in the present study, reduce such injury in testicular torsion-detorsion. Comparing their effects on IMA levels, NAC may be regarded as a relatively more effective treatment than EP.
Department of Emergency Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Karadeniz Technical University, Trabzon, Turkey.
Suha
S
Turkmen
Ahmet
A
Mentese
Ersagun
E
Karaguzel
Yunus
Y
Karaca
Adem
A
Kucuk
Aysegul
A
Uzun
Esin
E
Yulug
Suleyman
S
Turedi
D000111:Acetylcysteine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000818:Animals; D008297:Male; D008315:Malondialdehyde / Q000032:analysis; D009195:Peroxidase / Q000378:metabolism; D011773:Pyruvates / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000378:metabolism; D015427:Reperfusion Injury / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D012709:Serum Albumin / Q000032:analysis; D013737:Testis / Q000098:blood supply*
D011773:Pyruvates; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D012709:Serum Albumin; C046522:ethyl pyruvate; D008315:Malondialdehyde; D009195:Peroxidase; D000111:Acetylcysteine