Ameliorative effects of resveratrol on acute ovarian toxicity induced by total body irradiation in young adult rats.

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this study was to investigate the ovarian protective effects of resveratrol in rats exposed to total body irradiation.

DESIGN

Experimental study.

SETTINGS

University hospital.

PARTICIPANTS AND INTERVENTIONS

Thirty female rats were randomized into four groups: (1) control group (n = 7); (2) low-dose (10 mg/kg) resveratrol group (n = 8); (3) high-dose (100 mg/kg) resveratrol group (n =7); and (4) sham irradiation group (n = 8). The drugs were administered intraperitoneally as single doses, and the rats were exposed to total body radiation 24 h after the treatment. The animals were sacrificed the following day, and their ovaries were excised for histopathological and biochemical analysis.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

The ovarian follicle counts were calculated, and irradiation-dependent ovarian damage and tissue levels of antioxidant enzymes were evaluated.

RESULTS

Group 2 and Group 3 showed significantly higher numbers of total follicle counts compared with Group 1 (P < 0.01). The low-dose resveratrol treatment was associated with significantly higher numbers of primary follicles than the high-dose group. The tissue activities of glutathione peroxidase (GsH-Px) and catalase (CAT) were significantly elevated in the resveratrol-treated animals. Evaluation of ovarian histology revealed no remarkable changes in fibrosis and leucocyte infiltration among the resveratrol-treated and control rats; however, vascularity was significantly reduced in the high-dose group (P = 0.014).

CONCLUSION

Resveratrol attenuated irradiation-dependent ovarian damage, suggesting that this natural antioxidant is effective in reducing the follicle loss induced by ionizing radiation.