The ameliorative effect of lutein on ovarian ischemia-reperfusion injury in rats

The aim of our study is to investigate biochemical and histopathological effects of lutein on the ovarian ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury in rats. Reactive oxygen species and cytokines have a very important role in the pathogenesis of I/R injury. Lutein and its derivatives may show an anti-inflammatory effect in relation to the decrease in inflammatory cytokines and increase in antioxidant enzymes. Wistar albino female rats were randomly divided into three groups before surgery as follows: I/R group (IRG; n = 6), 1 mg/kg lutein + I/R group (LIRG; n = 6), and a healthy control group scheduled for a sham operation (SG; n = 6). The condition of ovarian ischemia was created by vascular clips. After two hours, the ovary was reperfused. Then, cyclooxygenase-1, cyclooxygenase-2, malondialdehyde and total glutathione levels were examined in ovary tissues of rats. As the results of our study demonstrated, in ovarian tissues of animals after I/R, there was an increase in the levels of malondialdehyde and cyclooxygenase-2, while total glutathione and cyclooxygenase-1 were decreased. At the same time, it has been observed however that these ratios are reversed in the LIRG group (p < 0.05). Lutein ameliorates the I/R-induced ovarian injury in rats by its antioxidative and anti-inflammatory activities (Fig. 2, Ref. 39).