Beneficial effects of (-)-epigallocatechin gallate on ischemia-reperfusion testicular injury in rats.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of the study was to determine the effect of (-)-epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) on testicular ischemia-reperfusion injury in rats.


METHODS
Forty male Wistar rats were assigned to 5 groups. A sham operation was performed on the animals in group 1. In group 2, after 4 hours of unilateral testicular ischemia, 4 hours of testicular reperfusion was performed with EGCG administered 1 hour before reperfusion. In group 3, the same surgical procedure as in group 2 was performed, but without EGCG. Serum superoxide dismutase activity, creatine kinase, and lactate dehydrogenase were then measured in blood samples from groups 1 to 3. In group 4, after 4 hours of unilateral testicular ischemia, testicular reperfusion was performed. In group 5, the same procedure as in group 4 was performed, but with EGCG administered 1 hour before reperfusion. For groups 4 and 5, bilateral orchiectomy was performed for histologic examination 4 weeks after reperfusion was started.


RESULTS
Serum superoxide dismutase activity was significantly higher in group 2 than in group 3. The ratios of bilateral testicular weight, mean seminiferous tubule diameter, and germinal epithelial cell thickness were significantly higher in group 5 than in group 4.


CONCLUSIONS
Therapy with EGCG before reperfusion might exert protective effects via antioxidant activities in a rat experimental model of testicular ischemia-reperfusion injury.
Department of Pediatric Surgery, Showa University Hospital, 1-5-8, Hatanodai, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo, 142-8555, Japan. akihide@mte.biglobe.ne.jp
Akihide
A
Sugiyama
Masahiro
M
Chiba
Tomokazu
T
Nakagami
Shinya
S
Kawano
Yutaka
Y
Sanada
Takuma
T
Tajiri
Akira
A
Toki
D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002392:Catechin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D008297:Male; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000097:blood / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D015427:Reperfusion Injury / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D013086:Spermatic Cord Torsion / Q000601:surgery*
D000975:Antioxidants; D015415:Biomarkers; D002392:Catechin; C045651:epigallocatechin gallate