Effects of quercetin on gentamicin-induced experimental testicular injury in rats.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of gentamicin (GEN) on the testis and whether quercetin (QUE) has any protective effect. Twenty-four adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into equal four groups: control (0.9% saline solution), GEN (80 mg∕kg GEN), QUE (50 mg∕kg QUE) and GEN+QUE (80 mg∕kg GEN + 50 mg∕kg QUE). Histopathological (HP) evaluation of testis was performed, epididymal sperm parameters were analyzed and oxidative status was evaluated. The use of QUE improved the HP findings, such as decrease in the germinal epithelial thickness in the testicular tissue of the GEN group, decrease in the Johnsen's tubular biopsy score (JTBS), increase in the rate of immature cell shedding tubules, and the apoptotic index (AI). In the GEN group, sperm count, and abnormal morphology increased compared to the control group; the viability and motility decreased according to the sperm analysis results. In the GEN+QUE group, QUE was found to improve sperm viability and morphology. In the GEN group, tissue malondialdehyde (MDA) levels increased while superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) levels decreased. Compared with the GEN+QUE group, it was found that the tissue MDA level decreased, while the levels of SOD, CAT and GPx increased. The results demonstrate that GEN impairs testicular structure and function, and QUE treatment can prevent this adverse effect.

How does l-theanine treatment affect the levels of serum and hippocampal BDNF, insulin and adipocytokines in diabetic rats?

BACKGROUND: Diabetes Mellitus (DM), a metabolic disease characterized by the increased blood glucose level, insulin deficiency or ineffectiveness, may cause structural and functional disorders in the brain. l-Theanine (LTN) has the relaxing, psychoactive, antidepressant, anti-inflammatory and antinecrotic properties, and regulates the functions of hippocampus (HP) in brain. In the present study, the aim was to identify the effects LTN on the levels of BDNF, insulin and adipocytokines (TNF-α, leptin, adiponectin and resistin) in both HP and serum of diabetic rats. METHODS: 32 male Wistar rats were divided into four groups (n = 8/group): Control, LTN, DM and DM + LTN. Diabetes was induced by by nicotinamide/streptozotocin. 200 mg/kg/day LTN treatment was applied for 28 days. The serum and hippocampal levels of the parameters were determined by using commercial ELISA kits. Additionally, HP tissues examined histopathologically. RESULTS: LTN treatment significantly decreased leptin and adiponectin levels in HP tissues in diabetic rats (p < 0.05). Although it decreased the insulin level in both serum and HP, this was not statistically significant. No significant effect on other parameters was observed (p > 0.05). In histopathological analysis, although the damage was reduced by LTN in all sections of HP, this change was significant mainly in CA3 region (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: It was concluded that LTN has the ability to reduce hippocampal degeneration and modulates adipocytokines in diabetic rats.