Abstract
Purpose This study aimed to compare the protective effects of Hypericum perforatum (Hp) and quercetin, a flavonoid, against ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury in rat
testes.
Materials and Methods This study included 28 male Wistar albino rats that were divided into four groups.
Except for the sham group, torsion was created by rotating both testes at an angle
of 720 degrees clockwise for 2 hours. The Hp and quercetin groups received 25 mg/kg
Hp and quercetin intraperitoneally 30 minutes before detorsion, respectively. Orchiectomy
was performed for the measurement of markers of oxidative stress and histopathological
examination.
Results In the Hp and quercetin groups, malondialdehyde (MDA) and nitric oxide (NO) levels
and total oxidant capacity were significantly lower, the glutathione level and total
antioxidant status were significantly higher, and Johnsen's testis biopsy scores were
significantly higher than in the torsion/detorsion group (p ˂ 0.001). The markers of oxidative injury were significantly lower (p ˂ 0.001) and total antioxidant status was significantly higher (p ˂ 0.001), except for glutathione (p = 0.62) in the Hp group than in the quercetin group. Johnsen's score between Hp and
quercetin groups was not significantly different (p = 0.80).
Conclusion Both Hp and quercetin have protective effects against I/R injury of the testes, but
the protective effect of Hp was found to be stronger than that of quercetin.
Keywords
testis torsion -
Hypericum perforatum
- quercetin
