Reduction of Torsion-Detorsion-Induced Testicular Damage With Hawthorn Extract: Oxidative, Hormonal, and Histological...

This study aimed to find out how hawthorn extract protects against damage caused by torsion/detorsion (T/D). In the study, four groups were formed, each consisting of eight rats: control, T/D, low-dose hawthorn extract (T/D + LD), and high-dose hawthorn extract (T/D + HD). The effect of testosterone hormone and oxidative stress parameters of total antioxidant level (TAS), total oxidant level (TOS), as well as oxidative stress index (OSI) were evaluated. We examined the histopathological effects of the hawthorn extract. Additionally, sperm count and motility were analyzed. The analyses were conducted using the IBM SPSS v22 program, and a p-value of less than 0.05 was deemed statistically significant. Testosterone, TAS, TOS, and OSI parameters show statistical differences between the groups (p = 0.014, p = 0.009, p = 0.021, p = 0.004, respectively). Group differences in testicular volume are statistically significant (p = 0.001). The sperm count exhibits a statistically significant difference between the groups (p = 0.00). Sperm motility was affected only by groups at a statistically significant level (p = 0.00). Histopathologically, tissue damage decreased in the hawthorn extract groups compared to the T/D groups. Hawthorn extract has the potential to alleviate T/D-induced damage by reducing oxidative stress and protecting testicular tissue. The findings suggest that hawthorn extract may have therapeutic potential in mitigating oxidative damage caused by testicular torsion and providing sustained protective effects. Longer-term studies should explore the effects of hawthorn extract in greater detail, as these findings indicate that it may be a promising treatment option for acute testicular injury.