Effects of resveratrol on high-fructose-induced testis injury in rats.

This study investigated whether a high-fructose (HFr) diet changes the morphology of seminiferous tubules (ST) in rats and resveratrol (RES) has a possible restoring effect in this sense. Fructose (30%; w/v) was administered to rats alone or together with RES (50 mg/L) in drinking water for 8 weeks. In the HFr group, destruction of the germinal epithelium led to the detection of immature germ cells in the lumen. HFr diet gave rise to a decrease in the ST diameters (p < 0.05), Johnsen's tubular biopsy score values (p < 0.001), and an increase in the apoptotic index (p < 0.05). Ultrastructurally, HFr feeding increased lipid accumulation (p < 0.01), mitochondrial damage, and acrosomal abnormalities in spermatogenic cells. Treatment of HFr -fed rats with RES improved the reduced ST diameters and overall general histological and ultrastructural abnormalities of the STs, but did not change the increased apoptotic index.

Comparison of the neuroprotective effects of brimonidine tartrate and melatonin on retinal ganglion cells.

PURPOSE: We aimed to compare the neuroprotective effects of brimonidine tartrate (BRT) and melatonin (MEL) on retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) in a rat glaucoma model. METHODS: Thirty-six adult Wistar albino rats were allocated into six groups: control (C), glaucoma (G), BRT, MEL, G + BRT and G + MEL. After establishing the glaucoma model, intraocular pressure (IOP) of all animals measured at day 4 and day 30 was compared statistically with day 0 and day 4, respectively. Prior to sacrification at day 30 for histological evaluation and TUNEL analysis, retrograde labeling of non-apoptotic RGCs with 3% Fluorogold was performed and RGCs were evaluated under fluorescein microscope. RESULTS: IOP measurements at day 4 were significantly higher than basal measurements in all glaucoma groups. BRT alone induced a time-dependent decrease in IOP (p < 0.05), while MEL alone failed to reduce IOP. However, both BRT and MEL reduced IOP in the presence of glaucoma at day 30 (p < 0.05). BRT treatment significantly reversed the reduced non-apoptotic RGC counts (p < 0.01) and increased TUNEL-positive RGCs (p < 0.001) to control group levels in the presence of glaucoma. However, no statistical significance was found between groups G and G + MEL considering 3% Fluorogold-labeled cell counts and apoptotic index values. CONCLUSION: Our study revealed that systemic administration of BRT also has an IOP reducing effect. MEL has no neuroprotective effect on RGCs; on the other hand, BRT acts as a neuroprotective agent against glaucomatous injury, when applied systemically.