Oxidative stress in testicular tissues of rats exposed to cigarette smoke and protective effects of caffeic acid phenethyl ester

摘要

Aim: To show the oxidative stress after cigarette smoke exposure in rat testis and to evaluate the effects of caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE). Methods: Twenty-one rats were divided into three groups of seven. Animals in Group Ⅰ were used as control. Rats in Group Ⅱ were exposed to cigarette smoke only (4 x 30 min/d) and rats in Group Ⅲ were exposed to cigarette smoke and received daily intraperitoneal injections of CAPE (10 μmol/kg·d). After 60 days all the rats were killed and the levels of nitric oxide (NO) and anti-oxidant enzymes such as superoxide-dismutase, catalase and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) and the level of malondialdehyde were studied in the testicular tissues of rats with spectrophotometric analysis. Results: There was a significant increase in catalase and superoxide-dismutase activities in Group Ⅱ when compared to the controls, but the levels of both decreased after CAPE administration in Group Ⅲ. GSH-Px activity was decreased in Group Ⅱ but CAPE caused an elevation in GSH-Px activity in Group Ⅲ. The difference between the levels of GSH-Px in Group Ⅰ and Group Ⅱ was significant, but the difference between groups Ⅱ and Ⅲ was not significant. Elevation of malondialdehyde after smoke exposure was significant and CAPE caused a decrease to a level which was not statistically different to the control group. A significantly increased level of NO after exposure to smoke was reversed by CAPE administration and the difference between NO levels in groups Ⅰ and Ⅲ was statistically insignificant. Conclusion: Exposure to cigarette smoke causes changes in the oxidative enzyme levels in rat testis, but CAPE can reverse these harmful effects.