Assessment of resveratrol's effects comparatively with zinc in experimental rat testicular damage model induced by cyclophosphamide

Cyclophosphamide (CP) is a strong alkylating agent widely used in cancer treatment. However, administration of CP causes cytotoxicity in tissues such as liver, kidney, bladder, testis, brain. Our goal is to investigate possible protective effect of Resveratrol (RES) in the experimental testicular injury model induced by cyclophosphamide comparatively with zinc. As purpose of the study, it is aimed to reduce the cyclophosphamide damage rate with the applications of RES, Zn and RES-Zn. While in the model of toxic testicular injury induced by cyclophosphamide, Zn was taking place as a control model, we found that the effects of combined usage of resveratrol with zinc were not observed in related literature search. In our study rats (n = 64) were randomly divided into 9 groups. At the end of the 3-week application to the experimental groups; all groups were examined by biochemical, histochemical and immunohistochemical methods. Johnsen testicular scoring and morphologies at sperm smear slides were evaluated as sperm parameters. In the experimental rat testicular injury model of CP; histologically H-E, PAS and MT, immunohistochemically iNOS, eNOS and CD34 stains were applied. MDA and CAT values examined as biochemical analysis. In literature for the first time, the comparative effects of RES and Zn were tried to be presented by us. As a result; although the combination of Zn and RES had protective effects on testicular damage, no improvement was observed as much in control and saline groups. Telocytes, a new type of cell, were found to presence in the interstitial space and encircle seminiferous tubule as a sheath. In our project, the interactions of resveratrol and zinc together and / or their separately usages, which can reveal their beneficial effects in the body at optimum doses, are valuable. Clinic adaptations of the designed in vivo model may reveal new clinical ideas in the treatment of infertility in many applications for treatment over the identified cellular signaling pathways. Keywords: Cyclophosphamide, Resveratrol, Zinc, Testis