Volume 29, Issue 2 (June 2025)                   Physiol Pharmacol 2025, 29(2): 184-193 | Back to browse issues page


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Ebrahimi M, Fani M, Abtahi-Evari S, Brazvan B, Azin S, Shokoohi M, et al . The effect of Safranal on histological damages and oxidative stress induced by ischemia-reperfusion in adult rat ovaries. Physiol Pharmacol 2025; 29 (2) :184-193
URL: http://ppj.phypha.ir/article-1-2329-en.html
Abstract:   (864 Views)

Introduction: Ovarian torsion is an emergency condition that occurs when the adnexa undergoes complete or partial rotation. Following ovarian torsion, damage caused by ischemia/reperfusion can impact fertility and sex hormone secretion. Our study aims to investigate the role of safranal in preventing ovarian ischemia-reperfusion injury in rats.
Methods: Animal subgroups included: sham, ovarian torsion/detorsion (OT), ovarian torsion/detorsion with the treatment of safranal (OTS 0.1, 0.5), and safranal group (OS 0.1, 0.5). Ovarian torsion was induced in the left ovary of rats for 2 hours. Intraperitoneal treatment with safranal at 0.1 and 0.5 mg/kg doses was performed 30 minutes before the detorsion operation. 48 h after detorsion, ovarian tissue was collected to evaluate the histopathological scores and apoptosis gene expression of Bcl-2, caspase 3, and Bax. Blood samples were collected to measure plasma estradiol levels and oxidative stress parameters.
Results: Analyses demonstrated that ovarian follicular damage was accompanied by increased serum malondialdehyde (MDA) levels and increased expression of Bcl2 and caspase-3 genes. Additionally, serum levels of glutathione peroxidase (GPX), estrogen, and superoxide dismutase (SOD) decreased in the OT group. However, treatment with safranal 0.5 mg/kg was accompanied by an improvement in the histopathological score of the ovarian tissue and a reduction in apoptosis and oxidative stress.
Conclusion: Safranal exhibits antioxidant properties in a rat model of ovarian torsion and could be considered a cost-effective therapeutic option for ovarian detorsion in gynecological clinics. 

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