Curcumin attenuates ischemia–reperfusion injury in rat testis

ObjectiveTo evaluate the effect of curcumin, a potent antioxidant, on testicular ischemia–reperfusion injury caused by overgeneration of reactive oxygen species (ROS) after testicular torsion–detorsion.DesignControlled experimental study using rats.SettingResearch laboratory.Animal(s)Sixty adult male Sprague-Dawley rats.Intervention(s)Rats in the control group underwent a sham operation of the left testis. In the torsion–detorsion group, the left testis was rotated 720° for 2 hours. Rats in treatment group received the same surgical procedure as the torsion–detorsion group, but curcumin was administered IV at repair of testicular torsion.Main Outcome Measure(s)Testicular activity of xanthine oxidase, which catalyzes production of ROS; malondialdehyde level (an indicator of ROS content); protein expression level of heme oxygenase-1, which catalyzes antioxidant generation; and spermatogenesis.Result(s)Unilateral testicular torsion–detorsion caused significant increases in xanthine oxidase activity, malondialdehyde level, and heme oxygenase-1 protein expression level and caused a significant decrease in testicular spermatogenesis in ipsilateral testes. The rats treated with curcumin had significant decreases in xanthine oxidase activity and malondialdehyde level and had significant increases in heme oxygenase-1 protein expression level and testicular spermatogenesis in ipsilateral testes, compared with the torsion–detorsion group.Conclusion(s)The curcumin exerts a protective effect on testicular ischemia–reperfusion injury.