OBJECTIVETo investigate the preventive effect of Rhodiola extract on cisplatin (cDDP)-induced testicular toxicity in mouse TM4 Sertoli cell line and its possible mechanism in vitro.

METHODSWe treated mouse TM4 Sertoli cells with Rhodiola extract and/or cDDP. Then we detected the proliferation of the TM4 cells by MTT assay, observed their morphological changes, and determined the contents of malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (T-SOD) and glutathione (GSH) in the cells.

RESULTSMTT assay showed that Rhodiola extract at the concentration of 0.0125-2.5 mg/L significantly inhibited the cDDP-induced decrease in the proliferation of the TM4 cells (P < 0.01) and improved their morphological changes. Anti-oxidation test exhibited a dramatically increased level of MDA in the TM4 cells treated with cDDP at 0.0147 g/L as compared with the normal control cells ([3.63 +/- 0.02] vs [2.15 +/- 0.02] nmol/mg prot, P < 0.01) and decreased levels of T-SOD ([6.57 +/- 0.05] vs [10.86 +/- 0.02] U/mg prot, P < 0.01) and GSH ([1.42 +/- 0.06] vs [2.59 +/- 0.05] mg/g prot, P < 0.01). Rhodiola extract at 0.1 mg/L significantly reduced the MDA content ([1.94 +/- 0.00] nmol/mg prot, P < 0.01) and the activity of T-SOD ([8.50 +/- 0.02] U/mg prot, P < 0.01) and GSH ([2.41 +/- 0.04] mg/g prot, P < 0.01) in the TM4 cells treated with cDDP.

CONCLUSIONRhodiola extract can significantly inhibit cDDP-induced damage to TM4 cells in mice, which may be associated with its antioxidant activity.