The Effect of L-Carnitine on Testicular Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury due to Testicular Torsion in Rats

This experimental was study designed to examine the efficacy of L-carnitine in preventing reperfusion injury following testicular torsion. We aimed to evaluate the effects of L-carnitine, administered during the reperfusion period, on the torsed and contralateral non- torsed testes in cases of unilateral testicular torsion in rats. This experimental study was performed in the research laboratory Dicle University, School of Medicine, between March 1, 2007 and May 31 2007. The study included 20 adult male rats those 6 months old that were divided into 3 groups: a sham group (group 1), ischemia/reperfusion group (group 2), and ischemia/reperfusion + L-carnitine group (group 3). In group 2 one ml of serum physiologic was injected intraperitoneally versus 500 mg/kg of L-carnitine in group 3 immediately after detorsion following a 4-h torsion period; the doses were repeated after 8 h later. Histologically, Sections of the left testes in group 2 showed irregularities in germinal epithelial cell configuration and degeneration in several cells, and all the samples of the right testes in group 2 had arrested sperm maturation and primary spermatocytes had a dusky appearance in some tubules, while all remaining groups were normal. L-carnitine had a positive effect on ipsilateral and contralateral testes. The positive effect of L-carnitine in reducing reperfusion damage in ipsilateral and also in contralateral testis was histopathologically observed. We think L-carnitine should always be apllied immediately after repurfusion period and should be repeated after 8 hours in testicular torsion cases.