P-3: Effects of Ethyl Pyruvate Against Methotrexate-Induced Testicular Injury

Background: Recent advances showed that oxygen radicals and hydrogen peroxides are linked with the development of several pathological processes associated with chemotherapy, including adverse effects of anti-tumor drugs. Methotrexate (MTX) is an antifolate that is widely used in the treatment of rheumatic disorders and malignant tumors. The efficacy of methotrexate is often limited by severe side effects and toxic sequelae, where oxidative stress is noticeable.Ethyl pyruvate(EP), which is formed from pyruvate and ethanol, has been found capable of rescuing cells injured by oxidative stress. Here, we aimed to study the effect of EP in methotrexate-induced oxidative stress in testes of mice. Materials and Methods: For this aim, 32 male mice of 4 weeks old were used in the study.The animals were divided into four groups randomly. Control, MTX (20 mg/kg ip once a week), EP (40 mg/kg/day ip) + MTX, andEP. At the end of this period (30 days), they were sacrificed, and testis tissues were removed to be used in the analyses of catalase level. Results: Catalase (CAT) level in testiculartissue of MTX group significantly (p<0.05) reduced after MTXadministration compared to control group and MTX +EP. Conclusion: Our data suggests that MTX treatment induces oxidative tissue damage on the testicular tissue, asassessed by decreased CATlevels;EP may cause partially improvement CAT levels .