Protective effect of Vaccinium myrtillus on ischemia- reperfusion injury in rat ovary

It is aimed to evaluate the protective effect of bilberry on I/R injury in rat ovary.

A total 48 female Wistar-Albino rats were utilized to form five groups: Group 1 (control group) (n = 8), neither drug was given and nor procedure was performed. Group 2 (bilberry control group) (n = 10), single dose 200 mg/kg bilberry was administered by gavage and no procedure was performed. Group 3 (I/R group) (n = 10), no drug was given, 1-h ischemia and 2-h reperfusion was performed. Group 4 (bilberry before I/R group) (n = 10), single dose 200 mg/kg bilberry was administered by gavage before ischemia. Then 1-h ischemia and 2-h reperfusion was performed. Group 5 (bilberry after I/R group) (n = 10), first 1-h ischemia was performed. Single dose 200 mg/kg bilberry was administered by gavage and then 2-h reperfusion was performed. Right ovaries were surgically extirpated in all groups. In ovarian tissue samples, malondialdehyde (MDA) levels and enzymatic activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) were studied. In ovarian tissue samples, DNA damage and apoptosis were assessed by using TUNEL method. Histopathologic examination was performed by light microscopic findings.

When group 3 was compared with another groups, MDA levels were significantly higher, enzymatic activities of SOD and CAT were found to be as significantly lower in ovarian tissue and blood (p < 0.001). In histopathologic examination, ovarian tissue damage in the group 3 were significantly higher than other groups (p < 0.001). Also, DNA damage and apoptosis were significantly higher in group 3 than other groups (p < 0.001).

Biochemical findings were lower and histopathologic damage was less especially in bilberry before I/R group (group 4). In conclusion, bilberry seems to be effective in prevention of ovarian I/R injury and short-term treatment.