The effect of sildenafil and udenafil on testicular damage following ischemia-reperfusion injury in rats

Purpose Ischemia-reperfusion injury can cause testicular damage and phosphodiesterase inhibitors are reported to regulate antioxidant activity. We investigated the prevention of ipsilateral and contralateral testicular damage using 2 phosphodiesterase inhibitors after testicular detorsion in rats. Materials and Methods A total of 28 adult male rats were randomly divided into 4 groups of 7 each, including group 1 - sham operation, group 2 - testicular torsion and detorsion, group 3 - testicular torsion and detorsion with sildenafil administration before detorsion and group 4 - testicular torsion and detorsion with udenafil administration before detorsion. Tissue levels of malondialdehyde, total sulfhydryl and nitrite were evaluated, and histopathological changes in the groups were examined. Results Compared to group 1 significantly increased tissue malondialdehyde (p = 0.001), significantly decreased total sulfhydryl (p = 0.038) and insignificantly increased nitrite were found in group 2. Compared to group 2 malondialdehyde decreased significantly and total sulfhydryl increased significantly in groups 3 and 4. The decrease in nitrite was insignificant in the latter 2 groups. Histopathology revealed increased hemorrhage, congestion and edema in group 2 rats. The testicular injury score was lower in groups 3 and 4. In group 2 grades II to IV injury was detected while most specimens in treated groups showed grade II injury. Conclusions This study indicates that intraperitoneal administration of sildenafil and udenafil efficiently suppresses radical production while decreasing histological changes after testicular ischemia-reperfusion injury.