Protective Effects of Diospyros Kaki Leaves Extract against Oxidative Damage and Inflammation in the Testicular Ischemia-Reperfusion Model in Rats

Protective effect of Diospyros Kaki leaves extract against oxidative damage and inflammation in the testicular ischemia-reperfusion model were investigated in the study. 32 male rats were randomly and equally divided into 4 groups. While saline (SF) was given to the control and ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) groups for 5 days, Diospyros Kaki (DK) and I/R+DK were given 200 mg/kg of DK leaf extract. Afterwards, left orchiectomy was performed in control and DK, and testicular torsion was performed in I/R and I/R+DK for 2 hours. All rats were sacrificed 24 hours after procedures and samples were collected. Compared to the control, I/R had high MDA levels, low GSH and GSH-Px levels; compared to the I/R, MDA levels of the I/R+DK were lower, and the GSH and GSH-Px levels were higher. In I/R, the presence of congestion and hemorrhage were determined and the deterioration in seminiferous tubule structure and spermatogenesis were less in the I/R+DK. TNF-α, COX-2, BCL-2, and BAX genes expressions significantly lower in the I/R+DK. TNF-α and COX-2 proteins were higher in I/R and I/R+DK, while NRF2 was higher in I/R+DK. These results show DK leaves extract has crucial protective effect against oxidative damage and inflammation in the I/R model of rats.