Alleviating effect of alpha-pinene on testicular torsion and detorsion injury in rats

Abstract

Objective: It was aimed to evaluate whether alpha-pinene (AP) had a beneficial effect in the testicular ischemia/reperfusion injury (IRI) model for the first time. Materials and Methods: Testicular malondialdehyde, total oxidant status, and total antioxidant status levels were determined using spectrophotometric methods. The superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione (GSH), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), myeloperoxidase (MPO), 78-kDa glucose-regulated protein (GRP78), activating transcription factor 6 (ATF6), and C/EBP homologous protein (CHOP) levels were determined using the commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kits. Hematoxylin-eosin staining method was used in the histopathological evaluation. Results: In the IRI group, testicular MDA, MPO, GRP78, ATF6, and CHOP levels were significantly increased, while GSH and GPx levels were decreased compared with the control group (p<0.01). AP application restored these levels significantly (p<0.05). Johnsen scores were also significantly lower in the IRI group compared the control group (p<0.001), and AP treatment increased these scores significantly (p<0.001). Conclusion: These results suggest that AP can protect the testicular tissue against IRI by inhibiting oxidative stress, inflammation, and endoplasmic reticulum stress with its antioxidant properties, thus providing a molecular basis for a novel medical treatment of testicular IRI. Future studies are needed on other mechanisms of the protective effect of AP on the pathogenesis of testicular torsion.