The ameliorative effects of vinpocetine on apoptosis and HSP-70 expression in testicular torsion in rats

Abstract

Vinpocetine is a potent antioxidant and free radical scavenger. We investigated the effects of vinpocetine on torsion/detorsion (T/D) induced testicular damage, HSP-70 expression and germ cell apoptosis in rats. Sixty Wistar albino adult male rats were divided into five groups of 12. The groups comprised a control group, a sham treated group, a T/D group, a vinpocetine treated group, and a T/D plus vinpocetine treated group. The left testis of each rat was subjected to unilateral torsion followed by detorsion after 2 h. Vinpocetine was administered intraperitoneally immediately and for 10 days following detorsion. At the end of the study, the rats were sacrificed and their testes removed and processed. HSP-70 expression, apoptosis and histopathological damage scores were determined for each group. Testicular T/D caused significant increases in apoptosis and HSP-70 expression, and a significant decrease in Johnsen's testicular biopsy scores and mean seminiferous tubule diameter. Vinpocetine ameliorated testicular histopathology and HSP-70 expression in the T/D + vinpocetine group. Consequently, vinpocetine may prevent testicular injury following testicular torsion owing to its antioxidant effects.

Administration of Dexmedetomidine Does Not Produce Long-Term Protective Effect on Testicular Damage Post Testicular Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury

“…Apoptosis is important for regulating the population of germ cells in the testes. Sönmez et al 25 demonstrated that testicular IRI caused a significant increase in apoptosis of the ipsilateral testis. One study demonstrated that administration of Dex significantly decreased the germ cell apoptosis indices.…”

“…Although many chemicals have been shown to reduce testicular IRI in animal models, most of them have primarily been examined 2–24 hours after testicular IRI. 5 , 6 , 14 , 25 Few studies have examined the progress of testicular IRI, and the injury that can occur months and years later. Experimental and clinical case studies that contain long-term follow-up results have suggested that the acute damage that occurs post-torsion might continue and create chronic damage.…”

Comparison of the Acute and Cumulative Dose Administrations in Doxorubicin-induced Hepatotoxicity via Evaluation of the Histopathological Changes and Inflammation in Rats

“…Hematoxylin-eosin (H&E) staining was performed for determining the histopathological changes in the liver tissue. Histopathological changes in the liver tissue sections were evaluated by the study group at 50 random microscopic area for each experimental group (19,20). Images were obtained with a light microscope (Olympus BX51; Olympus, Tokyo, Japan).…”

An update on vinpocetine: New discoveries and clinical implications

“…Massive cardiomyocyte death is associated with cardiac ischemia/reperfusion injury. Given the anti-apoptotic effects of vinpocetine in various other tissues (Lakics et al, 1995a, Onishchenko et al, 2008, Sonmez et al, 2017) and cell types (Bora et al, 2016, Chen et al, 2007, Erdo et al, 1990, Gabryel et al, 2002, Lakics et al, 1995b, Miyamoto et al, 1989), the protective effects of vinpocetine on cardiomyocyte death and cardiac I/R-injury remain to be investigated. A recent study found that PDE1A is highly expressed in rabbit cardiac sinoatrial nodal cells and regulates pacemaker function.…”