The Effect of Alpha-Lipoic Acid against Methotrexate on Testicular Damage in Rats

Abstract

Aim: The toxic effects of methotrexate, a chemotherapeutic, on the testicles is an important side effect. Methotrexate impairs spermatogenesis and fertility and causes oligospermia. In this study, we aimed to minimize the testicular toxicity, those being the side effects of methotrexate, by using the probable protective effects of α-lipoic acid, a potent antioxidant. Materials and Methods: Twenty-eight male Sprague Dawley rats that we employed in this research were separated into three groups as control (0.09% PS) (n=8), methotrexate (20 mg/kg) (n= 10), and methotrexate (20 mg/kg) + α-lipoic acid (100 mg/kg) (n= 10). We performed a histochemical analysis on the testicular tissue of rats using hematoxylin-eosin and Masson’s trichrome. We performed an immunohistochemical analysis using inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) primer ab. Results: The histochemical evaluation revealed a significant decrease in the methotrexate-induced testicular toxicity in the α-lipoic acid-treated groups. On the other hand, TNF-α and iNOS immunostaining results were also observed to support these results. Conclusion: The treatment use of α-lipoic acid succeeded in protecting against methotrexate-induced testicular damage through an α-lipoic acid-mediated antioxidant and anti-inflammatory mechanisms. α-lipoic acid can be used in combination with methotrexate as a protector against side effects during anticancer therapy. In the present study, it was shown that α-lipoic acid can be used in combination with methotrexate as a protector against side effects during anticancer treatment.