23406956_title
title
Protective role of L-carnitine and vitamin E on the testis of atherosclerotic rats.
23406956_abstract
abstract
Atherosclerosis is a condition caused by lipid build-up and inflammation in the arteries, so hyperlipidemia is the major reason for atherosclerosis. Testis was found to be negatively affected by hyperlipidemia which leads to its impaired functions. Vitamin E and <sc>l</sc>-carnitine have well-known lipid-lowering and antioxidative activities. Triton WR 1339 is a non-ionic detergent, which induces severe hyperlipidemia by inhibition of lipoprotein lipase. The present study evaluates the protective role of vitamin E and <sc>l</sc>-carnitine on the testis in atherosclerosis and detects the most effective choice for protection against atherosclerosis; vitamin E, <sc>l</sc>-carnitine or a combination of both. A total of 80 albino male rats were divided into eight groups (10 rats for each group): control (G(1)), triton (G(2)), <sc>l</sc>-carnitine (G(3)), triton + <sc>l</sc>-carnitine (G(4)), vitamin E (G(5)), triton + vitamin E (G(6)), <sc>l</sc>-carnitine + vitamin E (G(7)) and triton + <sc>l</sc>-carnitine + vitamin E (G(8)). Data showed a significant increase in the levels of total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TGs), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), 17 beta hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (17 β HSD), testicular catalase and malondialdehyde (MDA) in G(2) when compared with G(1), whereas high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), serum testosterone, testicular 17 ketosteroid reductase (17 KSR), total thiol and glutathione-S-transferase (GST) data showed a significant decrease in G(2) when compared with G(1). Treatment with <sc>l</sc>-carnitine or/and vitamin E helps in improving the adverse effect of triton; also the histological changes confirm this finding. So the present study recommends all people to include <sc>l</sc>-carnitine and vitamin E in their diet to be protected against atherosclerosis.