Research Information System
CELL BIOCHEMISTRY AND FUNCTION, no.25, pp.611-618, 2006 (SCI-Expanded)
Testicular torsion is a urological emergency referred to as 'acute scrotum', because inappropriate treatment can lead to male
subfertility and infertility. A possible cause of testicular damage is the ischaemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury attributed to
oxygen free radicals. L-carnitine, a vitamin like antioxidant, plays a pivotal role in the maturation of spermatozoa within the
reproductive tract. The aim of the present paper was to determine the protective effect of L-carnitine on testicular I/R_induced
injury. Thirty-two male rats were divided into 4 groups (n:8). Testicular torsion was created by rotating the right testis 720"
in a clockwise direction. Group 1: sham-operated control; group 2: ischaemia; group 3: VR; group 4: ischaemia-L-carnitine
treatment-reperfusion group. L-carnitine (500mg/kg, intraperitoneally) was administered before 30 min of detorsion in
Group 4. After torsion (5 h) and detorsion (5 h), bilateral orchidectomy was performed. The malondialdehyde (MDA) level
was evaluated in testes. Histopathologically, Johnsen's spermatogenesis criteria and mean seminiferous tubule diameter
(MSTD) measurements were used. Testicular MDA levels were higher in the torsion group compared to the sham-control
group (p < 0.05). Detorsion (reperfusion) caused a further increase in MDA levels (p < 0.05). Pretreatment with L-carnitine
prevented a further increase in MDA levels (p < 0.05). Histologically, torsion caused some separation among germinal cells
in the seminiferous tubules, which became much more prominent in the I/R group but was attenuated with L-carnitine
pretreatment. In conclusion,L-carnitine pretreatment may have a protective effect in experimental testicular torsion detorsion model in rats by its well-known antioxidant potential