Effects of resveratrol on testicular damage experimentally created with doxorubicin in rats

The aim of this study was to investigate the negative effects of doxorubicin on rat testes and to highlight the protective effect of resveratrol on these parameters.Thirty-four male Spraque Dawley rats were divided into 5 groups for an experiment of 21 days. Group 1 was administered single dose saline and served as control; Group 2 was single dose received intraperitoneal injections of doxorubicin (10mg/kg). Group 3 was administered both single dose doxorubicin (10mg/kg) and resveratrol (20 mg/kg/day). Group 4 only received intraperitoneal injections of resveratrol (20 mg/kg/day). Group 5 was only received intraperitoneal injections of dimethyl sulfoxide. At the end of the experimental period, the rats were sacrified, all testes were removed and epididymis were separated. The histopathologic examination of testicular tissue and epididymis was performed with light microscope. Johnsen scoring system was used to determine the seminiferous tubule damage. The TUNEL technique was used to determine the apoptosis in testes. In addition epididiymal semen quality was evaluated in terms of sperm count, motility and morphology. Oxidative stress marker levels as biochemical were evaluated in blood and tissues.Histopathologically, testicular tissue showed seminiferous tubule irregularities in the basal membrane, germinal epithelial cells in the lumen, irregularities and vacuoles in the germinal epithelium of seminiferous tubules. Semen analysis was observed, sperm count, motility and increase in abnormal sperm rates. It was observed that Group 3 recovered in these histopathological findings. Decreased lipid peroxidation in Group 3 and GP-x, GSH levels were increased.Our data indicate that doxorubicin treatment markedly impaired testicular function and that treatment with resveratrol might prevent this toxicity in rats. In conclusion, we think that resveratrol could be used with its beneficial effects testes toxicity after DOX treatment in cancer patients.