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Objective. In the testicular tissue stroma, matrix proteins such as laminin and fibronectin play a critical role in transmitting signals under normal and stressful conditions to Leydig cells. Heat stress is considered one of the stressful conditions in the testicular tissue. This study has investigated the protective effects of chrysin on the distribution of laminin and fibronectin around Leydig cells under heat stress. Methods. Rats were divided into four groups, including sham (A), heat stress (B), heat stress with chrysin treatment (50 mg/kg) (C), and heat stress with chrysin treatment (75 mg/kg) (D). At the end of the treatment period, on the 21st day, testosterone serum levels were evaluated, and the testes were also assessed to determine the changes in gene expression and distribution of laminin, fibronectin, and caspase-3 proteins. Results. Exposure to heat stress in Group B resulted in increased levels of caspase-3, decreased activity, height, and diameter of seminiferous tubules, and altered distribution of laminin and fibronectin proteins around the Leydig cells when compared to the sham group (p < 0.05). Treatment with chrysin 75 resulted in a significant decrease in caspase-3 levels, improved testosterone levels, and increased distribution of laminin and fibronectin around Leydig cells compared to group B (p < 0.05). In addition, the group treated with chrysin 75 showed improved seminiferous histological activity markers in comparison to group B (p < 0.05). Conclusion. Following heat stress, concurrent with disrupted steroidogenesis, an evident change happens in the distribution pattern of the extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins of the testis, which may indicate the transmission of stress signals from the ECM to the Leydig cells. Treatment of chrysin in 75 mg/kg dose can reduce the damage caused by heat stress on the ECM and Leydig cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This study aimed to determine whether syzygium aromaticum (clove) could help polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) rats. Materials and Methods: In this experimental study, forty adult female Wistar rats (weighing 250 ± 10 g) were divided randomly into five groups; G1: control, G2: PCOS group, G3: PCOS+clove (30 mg/kg/ orally/daily) group, G4: PCOS+clove (60 mg/kg/orally/daily) group, and G5: PCOS+gonadectomy group. The PCOS was induced by a single dose injection of estradiol valerate (16 mg/kg/IM). Following PCOS induction, the rats were treated for 14 days. Histological parameters, follicle apoptosis, mRNA expression of autophagy markers (Lc3, Beclin1), oxidative stress markers, insulin and blood glucose levels, as well as serum levels of aromatase and testosterone were evaluated in these rats. Finally, the ratio of serum luteinizing hormone (LH) to follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) levels was also calculated. Results: The autophagy markers (Lc3, Beclin1), histological parameters, oxidative stress, insulin, and hormone levels changed significantly in the PCOS rats (G2). In G3 and G5 groups, it was observed that the levels of LH/FSH and testosterone decreased significantly in comparison to the PCOS group, and inhibition of autophagy was also observed in these groups. Treatment with cloves in the G3 group significantly improved oxidative stress, histological parameters, and insulin levels. Conclusion: These findings demonstrated that oxidative stress, apoptosis, and excessive autophagy could be improved by treatment with low doses of clove and gonadectomy. Cloves may help to improve these parameters by regulating and inhibiting excessive autophagy. However, discovering the direct role of this extract in regulating the parameters such as oxidative stress, insulin, and androgens requires further investigation. In the present study, P<0.05 was considered statistically significant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Autophagy is a vital process that maintains cellular homeostasis by joining lysosomes and providing energy production substrates. In testicular tissue, Sertoli cells play functional roles in spermatogenesis and steroidogenesis. It is well known that autophagy physiologically occurs in the Sertoli cells. Under pathological conditions, such as testicular torsion, autophagy can be activated under high‐stress stimuli. It is worth noting that Sertoli cells receive autophagy‐induced signals through some extracellular matrix proteins, e.g. laminin and fibronectin. The present study aims to evaluate Sertoli cells' autophagy‐associated extracellular matrix proteins' alteration following testicular torsion in rat model. The animals were divided into two groups as sham and testicular torsion/detorsion groups. In the testicular torsion/detorsion group, testicular torsion was maintained for 6 hr, followed by detorsion for 14 days. The obtained results revealed that testicular torsion‐induced oxidative stress leads to increased autophagy in Sertoli cells as well as the whole testicular tissue. Moreover, extracellular matrix proteins including laminin and fibronectin act as autophagy‐regulating proteins, in which their expression levels are reduced and increased respectively. In addition, the level of caspase‐3, as an autophagy inhibitory protein, did not increase significantly in the cytoplasm of Sertoli cells as opposed to whole testicular tissue, indicating that autophagy is active after testicular torsion in these cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: There is some evidence indicating that Matricaria chamomile (MC) had protective effects on ischemiareperfusion. In the present study, a rat model was used to investigate the effect of hydroalcoholic extract of MC on torsion/detorsion-induced testis tissue damage. Materials and Methods: In this experimental study, 28 male Wistar rats were randomly divided into 4 groups as follows: G1, Sham operated; G2, testicular torsion/detorsion (T/D); G3, rats with testicular torsion/detorsion that received 300 mg/kg of MC extracts 30 minutes before detorsion (T/DMC); and G4, healthy rats that received 300 mg/kg of MC extracts (MC). Also, the reperfusion period was 24 hours. After blood sampling, the oxidative stress marker [e.g. superoxide dismutase (SOD) levels], blood levels of testosterone, and anti-oxidant enzyme levels [e.g. glutathione peroxidase (GPx)] were assessed by ELISA methods. Serum activity of malondialdehyde (MDA) was evaluated by spectrophotometry. Another assessment was carried out by histomorphometry, 24-hour post-procedure. The histological parameters investigated by Johnson's scores (JS), also the seminiferous tubule diameter (STD) and the height of the germinal epithelium (HE) measured using the linear eyepiece grids using light microscopy. Results: Histological features significantly differed between sham and the other groups. The levels of SOD, GPx, and testosterone hormone were significantly decreased in T/D group as compared to sham group, while these parameters increased in T/DMC group as compared to T/D group. During ischemia, the MDA levels increased; however, treatment with MC extract decreased the MDA levels in G3 and G4 groups. Conclusion: Results of the present study demonstrated that MC can protect the testis tissue against torsion/detorsioninduced damages by suppressing superoxide production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: To study the effect of withdrawal syndrome in morphine-dependent male rats. Methods: Adult male rats were divided randomly into four groups: control (G1), received morphine (G2), received morphine and treated by clove (G3) and only treated by clove (G4). The rats were administered increasing doses of morphine (0.1, 0.2 and 0.3 mg/ml), each dose being administered for two days, and then a dose of 4 mg/ml was given every day for 21 consecutive days. After the last oral dose of morphine on day 21, the rats were treated daily with oral clove (4 mg/ml/kg) for 14 days. Following the treatment, the histological parameters, oxidative stress, LH, FSH and testosterone levels were measured. Results: The histological parameters were not significantly changed. In the morphine group, it was observed that the levels of LH, FSH and testosterone decreased significantly in comparison to the control group and clove treatment could significantly increase the LH, FSH, testosterone, glutathione peroxidase and superoxide dismutase levels in G3 groups. Also, the level of malondialdehyde (MDA) increased significantly in the morphine group and treatment with clove could significantly decrease the MDA level in G3 groups. Conclusion: Our results showed that the hormone levels (LH, FSH and testosterone) and antioxidant enzyme increased with the administration of clove after morphine withdrawal. This may be because of the antioxidant effect of clove or the direct effect of this plant on the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis, or both. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The aim was to investigate the protective effect of the Syzygium aromaticum extract on damaged tissues and the oxidative stress after testicular torsion. Methods: Rats were randomly divided into a control group subjected to a sham procedure and three treatment groups comprising testicular torsion followed by detorsion (TD), testicular torsion detorsion followed by the treatment with an extract of Syzygium aromaticum (TDSA) and treatment done by extract of Syzygium aromaticum alone. Testicular torsion was induced by 720 degrees of counterclockwise rotation of the left testis for 4h. After the duration of the induction of the torsion, detorsion was done. The animals were given daily oral administrations of just Syzygium aromaticum (4 mg/kg) for seven days. The measurement of the oxidative stress and testosterone levels, as well as assessments of histomorphometry were conducted seven days after detorsion. Results: The Johnsen score, along with the thickness of the epithelium and diameter of the seminiferous tubules, significantly increased in the testicular torsion group after receiving treatment with the extract of Syzygium aromaticum as compared to TD group. The levels of testosterone and glutathione peroxidase activity also increased significantly in the TDSA compared to TD group. The MDA levels decreased in TDSA compared to TD group. Conclusion: The findings of the current study suggested that Syzygium aromaticum might have provided a protective effect against testicular torsion detorsion injury. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]