Prophylactic Effects of Verapamil in Testicular Ischemia-reperfusion Damage in Rats

Abstract

Are important factors in the occurrence of ischemia-reperfusion damage in testes. Verapamil HCl is a phenylalkylamine derivative of the L-type voltage-dependent calcium channel blocker. In our study, we evaluated the prophylactic effects of theVerapamil in testicular ischemia-reperfusion damage.Methods: Twenty-one, eight weeks old adult, male Wistar-Albino rats were randomly divided into three groups as follows:Sham, I/R, I/R+Verapamil HCl. In Sham and I/R groups, saline was injected intraperitoneally at the second hour; in I/R+Verapamil HCl group, Verapamil was injected intraperitoneal at the second hour. Spermatogenic functions were evaluatedaccording to Johnsen criteria, and then, average scores were calculated. P<0.05 was statistically significant.Results: We compared all histopathological and molecular parameters derived from all groups. Average levels of inflammation mediators (TNF-? and IL-1?) were calculated. In the early period, compared with the Sham group, TNF-? levelsincreased statistically significant in theI/R group, which did not receive any medical treatment. Also, we saw that VerapamilHCl treatment avoided an increase in TNF-? level and provided the same levels as the Sham group. Glutathione peroxidase(GPx), which is antioxidant in tissue levels, significantly decreased in theI/R group, which did not receive Verapamil HCl ascompared with the Sham group. Verapamil HCl avoided this situation. Although GPx expression scores were higher in theI/R group than the Sham group, Verapamil HCl treatment takes these scores to the same levels as in the Sham group. Forspermatogenesis, there was no statistically significant difference between groups according to Johnsen scoring system.Discussion and Conclusion: I/R generated by T/D, in the early period, causes an increase of inflammation mediators inblood. It resulted in an increase in GPx activity, which decreased anti- oxidant capacity in tissue, and it has no effect to spermatogenesis parameters in four hours period. Verapamil HCl reduces damage in testicular I/R