الفهرس 
ANATOMICAL STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION OF TESTISOnly 14 pages are availabe for public view
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Abstract
R
SUMMARY
ecent clinical observational studies claimed that the use of L-carnitine might have a protective effect against a wide variety of testicular damage that might progress to male infertility.
The aim of the work was to verify these claims by an in vivo experimental study in the adult male albino rat.
Forty adult male albino rats were assigned into four groups for experiment for 21 successive days. In the control group (I) rats were not administrated for any treatment. In group II (L-carnitine treated group), rats received daily oral L-carnitine in dose of 500 mg per kg per day. In group III (Chlorambucil treated group), rats received chlorambucil orally by gastric tube at a dose of 0.2 mg per kg per day dissolved in distilled water. In group IV (L-carnitine protected group), rats were co-administered L-carnitine and chlorambucil. Animals were then sacrificed, and testes specimens were weighted then processed into paraffin blocks, sectioned, and stained with H&E and PAS. Specimens were also processed for semithin sections.
Stained sections and image analysis were used to detect damaged seminiferous tubules, germinal epithelial cells changes and heights, and then data was subjected to statistical analysis.
Histological examination of testis sections from chlorambucil treated groups showed a high percentage of damaged tubules, vacuolations within germinal epithelium, decreased germinal epithelial height, and lumens devoid of sperms.
The basement membranes were seen by PAS; while an evident damage and decrease number of germinal cells were detected by semithin sections. Morphometry, image analysis statistical analysis confirmed histological findings.
Histological examination of testis sections from L-carnitine protected group showed amelioration of damage and vacuolations.
In addition to statistically significant increase in number of damaged tubules, statistically significant decrease in weight of testis and germinal epithelial height of seminiferous tubules were found in chlorambucil treated group compared with control group. On the other hand, statistically significant decrease in number of damaged tubules in the L-carnitine protected group was found compared with chlorambucil group.
It is concluded that treatment with antioxidants such as L-carnitine protects against various tissue injuries such as chlorambucil induced testicular damage.
CONCLUSION
T
he present study declared that L-carnitine demonstrated protective effects against chlorambucil induced oxidative stress with antioxidant capability being a major contribution.
RECOMMENDATION
Further studies are needed to explore the molecular mechanism of chlorambucil induced injury on testis and other organs.
Further studies are needed to explore the molecular mechanism of L-carnitine antioxidant protective effect.
Further studies are needed to explore: if L-carnitine is protective against higher doses or longer periods of chlorambucil administration.
Further studies are needed to know other protective indices of L-carnitine.