RESUMO
Long-term administration of valproic acid (VPA) is known to promote reproductive impairment mediated by increase in testicular oxidative stress. Vitamin E (VitE) is a lipophilic antioxidant known to be essential for mammalian spermatogenesis. However, the capacity of this vitamin to abrogate the VPA-mediated oxidative stress has not yet been assessed. In the current study, we evaluated the protective effect of VitE on functional abnormalities related to VPA-induced oxidative stress in the male reproductive system. VPA (400 mg kg(-1)) was administered by gavage and VitE (50 mg kg(-1)) intraperitoneally to male Wistar rats for 28 days. Analysis of spermatozoa from the cauda epididymides was performed. The testes and epididymides were collected for measurement of oxidative stress biomarkers. Treatment with VPA induced a decrease in sperm motility accompanied by an increase in oxidative damage to lipids and proteins, depletion of reduced glutathione and a decrease in total reactive antioxidant potential on testes and epididymides. Co-administration of VitE restored the antioxidant potential and prevented oxidative damage on testes and epididymides, restoring sperm motility. Thus, VitE protects the reproductive system from the VPA-induced damage, suggesting that it may be a useful compound to minimize the reproductive impairment in patients requiring long-term treatment with VPA.
Assuntos
Antioxidantes/farmacologia , Estresse Oxidativo/efeitos dos fármacos , Substâncias Protetoras/farmacologia , Motilidade dos Espermatozoides/efeitos dos fármacos , Ácido Valproico/toxicidade , Vitamina E/farmacologia , Animais , Anticonvulsivantes/toxicidade , Bioensaio , Epididimo/efeitos dos fármacos , Glutationa/metabolismo , Peroxidação de Lipídeos/efeitos dos fármacos , Masculino , Ratos , Ratos Wistar , Contagem de Espermatozoides , Espermatogênese/efeitos dos fármacos , Testículo/efeitos dos fármacos , Testosterona/análiseRESUMO
We investigated a group of Rhamdia quelen females during their entire first reproductive cycle and beginning of the 2nd cycle by evaluating the stress response at different phases of gonadal maturation. In mammals, including humans, pubertal development modulates stress response reactivity due to the maturation of the neuroendocrine stress axis. These shifts in the stress reactivity were also detected in salmonid fishes. This effect comes from changes in the sensitivity of the stress axis glands or in the capacity of the adrenal tissue to synthesise glucocorticoids. Here, for the first time, we show that similar to mammals and salmonid fishes, pre-pubertal female R. quelen exhibit a protracted stress response compared to adult fish, pointing to puberty as a key event on HPI axis modulation.