Who is the winner of the battle in the testis? cyclophosphamide OR pterostilbene?

Who is the Winner of the Battle in the Testis? Cyclophosphamide or Pterostilbene? Background: In this study, the effects of Pterostilben (Ptr), a powerful antioxidant, on the prevention and/or healing of adult rat testicular injury caused by Cyclophosphamide (CP), which has cytotoxic effects, was investigated. For this purpose, weight measurements, sperm analysis, histopathology and biochemical methods were used. Methods: Twenty-one Sprague Dawley adult male rats were randomly divided into 3 equal groups as control (K), CP and CP+Ptr in this study. All subjects were weighed three times: on the first day of the experiment, on the 9th day on which CP was applied, and on the 15th day on which the subjects were sacrificed. Group K was administered oral 1 ml/kg sunflower oil for 14 days and intraperitoneally (ip.) 10 ml/kg saline (SF) on the 9th day of the experiment. Group CP was given oral 1 ml/kg sunflower oil for 14 days and 200 mg/kg single dose CP (dissolved in 10 ml/kg SF) ip. on the 9th day of the experiment. Oral 40 mg/kg Ptr (dissolved in 1 ml/kg sunflower oil) and ip. 200 mg/kg single dose CP (dissolved in 10 ml SF) were applied to group CP+Ptr. On the 15th day of the experiment, the rats were sacrificed, and the left testes were dissected together with epididymis. In the sperm samples obtained from cauda epididymis, sperm count, motility, viability and morphology were examined. Histopathological examinations were performed using staining methods Hematoxylin & eosin (H&E) in caput epididymis and H&E, Masson Trichrome and Periodic Acid Shiff (PAS) in one half of testicular tissue. In the other half of the testicular tissue, malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), total antioxidant status (TAS), total oxidant status (TOS) and oxidative stress index (OSI), Caspase-3 and levels of tissue testosterone were examined using biochemical methods. Results: In body weight measurements, there was a significant decrease in CP+Ptr groups compared to K group. Histologically, in the testes belonging to the CP group; atrophy in the seminiferous tubules, irregularity and separation in the basement membrane, edema in the interstitium, and separation in the germinal epithelium were observed. These findings were significantly lightened in the CP+Ptr group. There was significant immature germinal cell shedding (GHD) in both CP and CP+Ptr groups and the Modified Johsen Score (MJS) was lower than the control. The number, motility, vitality and normal morphology of the spermatozoa were deteriorated in the CP group, however sperm morphology was improved in CP+Ptr group. Biochemically, CP group had a decrease in level of catalase (CAT) and testosterone and increase in total oxidant status (TOS). In CP+Ptr group compared to CP, CAT level increased while TOS level decreased. Unlike K and CP+Ptr groups, epididymal tissues of CP group revealed a decrease in clear cells, despite of the increase in halo cells and vacuoles in cytoplasm of several epithelial cells. Conclusions: As a result of the findings obtained, it can be said that CP affects adult rat testis and Ptr application can prevent some negative effects of CP. Key Words: Rat, testis, sperm analysis, pterostilbene, cyclophosfamide.