Protective efficacy of thymol in testicular ischemia/reperfusion injury in rats: A biochemical and histopathological evaluation.

OBJECTIVES: Testicular torsion represents a critical urological emergency, characterised by the rotation of the testicle around the spermatic cord and the only treatment option to prevent testicular loss is detorsion. Testicular ischemia/reperfusion injury (IRI) may result from ischemia due to torsion and reperfusion due to detorsion, which cause injury as a result of the loss of blood flow to the testicular tissue. Thymol (THY), known for its antioxidant properties, is a phenolic monoterpenoid used in the cosmetic and agricultural industries. The objective of this study was to evaluate the hypothesis that THY can safeguard the testicular tissue in a rat model of testicular IRI. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Eighteen Wistar-Albino rats were randomly divided into 3 groups: control, IRI, and IRI+THY (100 mg/kg). In order to create the IRI model, a four-hour period of ischemia was initiated by rotating the left testis 720°, which was then followed by a two-hour period of reperfusion. The rats were sacrificed at the six-hour mark, after which biochemical and histopathological analyses were conducted on the excised testicular tissues. RESULTS: THY treatment resulted in a notable improvement in testicular damage, as evidenced by the reduction of IRI-induced histopathological findings and an increase in Johnsen scores. In addition, THY treatment led to a significant decrease in the levels of biomarkers associated with IRI-induced inflammation, oxidative stress and endoplasmic reticulum stress. CONCLUSION: These initial preclinical findings indicate that THY may confer protection against testicular damage induced by IRI. However, further comprehensive studies are required to substantiate this effect.