No abstract

T HE present study was designed to investigate the possible protective effects of catechin and rutin and their possible mechanisms of action in guarding against the oxidative stress and inflammation induced by ionizing radiation and/ or cigarette smoke extract in rats. Exposure of rats to acute doses of γ-radiation or administration of cigarette smoke extract (CSE) in this study were found to exert an oxidative stress due to generation of ROS, which are characterized by elevation in MDA and nitric oxide levels and depletion in reduced glutathione, as well as elevation in MPO activity and level of TNF-α. The results also showed that activities of ALT, AST, ALP, and LDH were increased. Damaging effects were significantly increased in animals exposed to gamma radiation combined with administration of cigarette smoke extract in comparison to either irradiation or administration of cigarette smoke extract. Pretreatment with catechin or rutin largely protected against the change in all the measured parameters. Conclusion: Catechin and rutin might have the potential to modulate the damage induced by radiation exposure in cigarette smoke-treated animals

G ROWING evidence suggests that nicotine, the addictive component of cigarettes, plays a direct role in testicular injury and infertility. The present study was intended to investigate the therapeutic effect of epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) and rutin (RUT), either alone or in combination with a low-dose radiation (LDR), against testicular injury evoked by nicotine in rats. For the induction of testicular injury, nicotine (1mg/kg) was administered orally for 30 days. Following that, rats were administered EGCG (100 mg/ kg), RUT (30 mg/kg) orally, either alone or in combination with LDR (2 x 0.25 Gy) for an additional 14 days. Rats were sacrificed on day 45, the testes were then dissected for histopathological analysis, and several biochemical parameters in serum and testicular tissue were also evaluated. The results showed that nicotine administration significantly increased the testicular thiobarbituric acid reactive substances and decreased the reduced glutathione contents. Besides, the activities of testicular androgenic enzymes (3 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenases and 17 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenases) were reduced, whereas serum lactate dehydrogenase activity was considerably raised. In addition, the follicle-stimulating hormone, luteinizing hormone, and testosterone serum levels were reduced, indicating hormonal alterations. The testicular seminiferous tubules structure was also deformed after histological examination. On the other hand, treatment with LDR combined with either EGCG or RUT dramatically reduced the deleterious effects of nicotine compared to their individual effects, as evidenced by biochemical and histological findings. Accordingly, exposure to LDR combined with natural antioxidants, either EGCG or RUT, may be a promising candidate for treating testicular injury caused by nicotine.