Protective Effect of Fasudil on Testicular Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury in Rats
Background: Testicular ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury can cause significant organ damage, leading to infertility or subfertility. This study aimed to evaluate the protective effects of fasudil on this condition.
Methods: Thirty male Long-Evans rats were divided into five groups: a control group (no torsion), a fasudil-only group (30 mg/kg, no torsion), an ischemia-only group (I/R injury with no treatment), a treatment group 1 (T1) receiving fasudil (30 mg/kg) before detorsion, and a treatment group 2 (T2) receiving fasudil (30 mg/kg) after detorsion. Serum levels of TNF-α and IL-6, along with tissue levels of glutathione (GSH), malondialdehyde (MDA), caspase-3, and the Johnsen Tubular Biopsy Score (JTBS), were measured.
Results: The ischemia-only group (Group I) had significantly higher MDA and caspase-3 levels compared to all other groups, except for T2 (p < 0.05). Although not statistically significant, Group T2 showed lower MDA and caspase-3 levels than Group I (p > 0.05). Furthermore, Group I had significantly elevated TNF-α and IL-6 levels and reduced GSH and JTBS values compared to the other groups (p < 0.05). Conclusion: The results suggest that fasudil offers protective effects against testicular I/R injury, particularly when administered before detorsion.