The investigation of the protective effects of nimesulide on experimental testicular ischemia-reperfusion injury in rats.

Introduction And Objectives: Testicular ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury develops after torsion and following detorsion of the testis. Reactive oxygen species were produced and oxidative damage begins to occur due to I/R process. Nimesulide, which is a specific cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitor drug, have antioxidant, antiinflammatory, analgesics and antipyretic effects. We aimed to investigate biochemically and histopathologically effect of nimesulide on testis I/R injury in rats induced by the testicular torsion-detorsion.

Material And Methods: In this study, 24 albino Wistar male rats were divided into four groups (6 rats in each group): ischemia/reperfusion applied+50mg/kg nimesulide administrated (NIM-50), ischemia/reperfusion applied+100mg/kg nimesulide administrated (NIM-100), ischemia/reperfusion applied (IR) and Sham surgery (SS) groups. Nimesulide was administered to NIM-50 and NIM-100 groups at the 50mg/kg and 100mg/kg doses before 2h applied I/R procedures. The IR group were applied only I/R procedures, no drug treatment was applied. Animals were sacrificed under high dose anesthesia and left testes were extracted. Testes were examined biochemically and histopathologically.

Results: Total glutathione (tGSH) and cyclooxygenase-1 (COX-1) levels were increased in the NIM-50 and NIM-100 groups compared to IR group. The levels of COX-2, malondialdehyde (MDA), interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) were lower in the NIM-50 and NIM-100 groups than in the IR group. Some histopathological changes seen in IR group. This findings were decreased in NIM-50 group and prevented in NIM-100 group.

Conclusion: Nimesulide prevented inflammation and oxidative stress. Our results suggest that nimesulide may be have a protective effect on testicular I/R injury.