Assessing the potential of nifedipine and resveratrol to enhance ovarian viability in conjunction with detorsion treatment: A rat ovarian torsion model study.

Objective: Evaluating the therapeutic effect of detorsion, resveratrol, and nifedipine on ovarian viability assessed by biochemical, histopathological and immunohistochemical parameters and markers of oxidative stress.

Materials and methods: Twenty-four Sprague-Dawley rats were included in 4 groups, namely: sham operation, ischemia-reperfusion (I/R), I/R+10 mg/kg nifedipine (NIF), I/R+100 mg/kg resveratrol (RSV). In the study groups, bilateral 720º ovarian torsion was performed and continued for 3 hours, followed by detorsion for another 3 hours. Thirty minutes before the detorsion, NIF and RSV groups received respective treatments. Adnexectomy was performed, and evaluations were made for the expression of anti-müllerian hormone (AMH), vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 (VEGFR-2), markers of oxidative stress, and follicle counts. Blood AMH levels were measured.

Results: No change in AMH levels was detected. Although the expression of AMH was significantly reduced following I/R alone, it remained similar to the control group in the NIF group. Meanwhile, the RSV group exhibited slightly lower expression than the control, although it was still higher than that observed with the I/R injury group. VEGFR-2 staining was similar in the I/R and NIF groups, but reduced in the RSV group. Markers of oxidative stress were similar between groups. Primordial follicle count was lower in the untreated I/R injury group compared to the control group (p<0.05). The NIF group had more secondary follicles than the I/R injury and RSV groups (p<0.05).

Conclusion: Nifedipine and resveratrol treatments did not influence AMH levels and antioxidant-oxidant system parameters in rats exposed to I/R injury. However, nifedipine had a positive effect on AMH expression and secondary follicle count, and resveratrol decreased the expression of VEGFR-2 in tissues, which can be an indicator of their clinical potential.