Nitroglycerin ameliorates sperm parameters, oxidative stress and testicular injury following by testicular torsion/detorsion in male rats

This study was designed to determine the probable protection mechanisms of nitroglycerin, a widely used medication for treatment of heart failure and angina, in amelioration of testicular ischemia/reperfusion damage. 24 adult male rats were randomly divided into three equal groups; with eight rats in each group: Group 1 (Sham) was sham-operated. Group 2 (T_D): 2 h testicular torsion was induced, afterward detorsion was performed and maintained for 2 h. Group 3 (NG): Nitroglycerin was administered immediately after detorsion. Sperm quality parameters such as viability, motility, morphology, and concentration, levels of antioxidant enzymes (glutathione peroxidase (GPX), catalase (CAT), and total antioxidant capacity (TAC)), and amount of malondialdehyde (MDA) in the blood plasma were examined in each group, thereafter histopathological parameters including germinal epithelial cell thickness (GECT), mean seminiferous tubular diameter (MSTD), Johnson's score and Cosentino's score were assessed. Testicular T_D significantly reduced sperm viability, motility, and normal morphology, whereas the NG administration remarkably increased the percentage of live, motile, and normal spermatozoa (p