OBJECTIVETo investigate the preventive effect of antioxidant and calcium channel blockade on testicular fibrosis in rats, and to explore the ideal drug for preventing it.

METHODSEighty Wistar rats were divided into a control group (Group A, n = 10), a treatment group (Group B, n = 57) and a testicular fibrosis model group (Group C, n = 13). And the treatment group was further divided into a higher dosage group (Group a, n = 20), a medium dosage group (Group b, n =20) and a lower dosage group (Group c, n = 17). Testicular fibrosis was duplicated with altered Wang Tao's method. From the second day of the first immunization, the higher dosage group was given antioxidant vitamins 90 mg/(kg x d) and verapamil 50 mg/(kg x d), the medium dosage group antioxidant vitamins 90 mg/(kg x d) and verapamil 25 mg/(kg x d), and the lower dosage group antioxidant vitamins 90 mg/(kg x d) and verapamil 12.5 mg/(kg x d), all for 150 days. The control and the model groups received no treatment. The sperm count, sperm deformity rate, testis length and seminiferous tubule intradiameter were measured, and the changes of the testis interstitial substance and spermatogenic cells were observed by light microscope and transmission electron microscope.

RESULTSTesticular fibrosis was significantly prevented by the higher- and medium-dosage treatment in the rats. In the higher dosage group, the intradiameter of the seminiferous tubules and the thickness of the limiting membrane were almost the same as in the control. In the lower dosage group the thickness of the limiting membrane was thicker and the damage to the spermatogenic cells was heavier than in the control, but the pathological changes of the testis structure was lighter than in the model group, in which Hyperplasia and fibroblast increase in the interstitial substance were significant, interstitial mast cells and peritubular mast cells increased, the thickness of the limiting membrane of the seminiferous tubules seriously thickened, and the damage to the spermatogenic cells was severe.

CONCLUSIONTesticular fibrosis in rats can be significantly prevented by antioxidant and calcium channel blockade.