P-54: Melatonin Treatment Along Latent and Chronic Phases of Temporal Lobe Epilepsy, Protects Testes Against Destroying Effect of Lithium-Pilocarpine Induced Epileptic Rats

Background: Because of the observed protective effect of melatonin against TLE and the putative role of melatonin to influence neuroendocrine-gonadal axis, we tried to find out whether initiating the melatonin treatment after induction of Status Epilepticus (SE) and all along the different phases of epileptogenesis process, might be able to protect the testes and sperm against devastating effect of chronic temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE). Materials and Methods: Animals were divided into seven groups: group A (control): intact animals (n=5); group B (Epilepsy): animals that received pilocarpine and exhibited SE (n=6); group C (sham): animals that exhibited SE and received the solvent of melatonin; group D (5 mg/60d): animals that received melatonin (5 mg/kg/ daily) two hours after onset of SE for 60 days; group E (5 mg/14d): animals that received melatonin (5 mg/kg/ daily) two hours after onset of SE for 14 days; group F (20 mg/60d): animals that received melatonin (20 mg/ kg/daily) two hours after onset of SE for 60 days; group G (20 mg/14 d): animals that received melatonin (20 mg/kg/daily) two hours after onset of SE for 14 days; group H (Reverse): intact animals which received first pilocarpine (25 mg/kg) and then lithium chloride (3 meq/ kg) after passing 20 hours for evaluating the pure effect of lithium and pilocarpine without any seizure induction becase of reverse injection. finally asdsayed Sperm parameters, antioxidant enzymes level, germ cell apoptosis, body and relative sex organ weights. Results: Chronic TLE caused a significant reduction in sperm parameters and the level of antioxidant enzymes. Weight gain and an expanded apoptosis occurred in the testes of epileptic animals. Melatonin administration in three experimental groups were able to improve sperm motility grades. Moreover, spermatogenic cell line apoptosis and the extra weight gain were reduced in some of the treated groups. The increased motility of sperm showed a positive correlation with the level of total antioxidant and a negative correlation with extra weight gain and apoptotic indexes in the treated epileptic animals. Conclusion: Melatonin with reducing the oxidative stress in the testes during epileptogenesis process might be able to improve sperm quality in chronic epileptic animals which probably could be an acceptable cotreatment in epileptic patients.