Levitra reduces testicular damage following ischemia/reperfusion injury in ratsWe investigated the effect of intraperitoneal Levitra (1 mg/kg) administration during an ischemic period in a rat model of testicular torsion/detorsion (T/D). Twenty-one adult Wistar rats were equally randomized into a control group, a T/D group and a Levitra group. The control group was designed to collect basal values for biochemical and histopathological parameters. The T/D group underwent testicular torsion for 1 hour. The Levitra group received Levitra (1 mg/kg) intraperitoneally at 30 minutes after torsion. All rats were sacrificed 4 hours after reperfusion to evaluate the tissue levels of malondialdehyde and total antioxidant status. Germ cell apoptosis was evaluated using the apoptosis protease activating factor 1 antibody in all groups. The expressions of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (NOS) and inducible NOS were also assessed in both testes of all rats. The malondialdehyde levels in the T/D group were significantly higher than in the control and Levitra groups. There were also significant decreases in total antioxidant status in the T/D group compared with the control and Levitra groups. Levitra treatment significantly reduced apoptosis protease activating factor 1, endothelial NOS and inducible NOS levels in the Levitra group compared with the T/D group. Administration of 1 mg/kg Levitra during testicular torsion decreased ischemia/reperfusion cellular damage. Our results indicate that the reduction in oxidative stress by Levitra may play a major role in its cytoprotective effects. |
