Abstract

Background and Objective: Rilmenidine is an antihypertensive drug with sympatholytic properties as well as antioxidative and anti-inflammatory properties. To investigate the biochemical and histopathological effects of Rilmenidine on Ovarian Ischemia-Reperfusion (I/R) injury in a rat model, this study aims to determine its potential protective role against oxidative stress and tissue damage associated with ovarian IR injury. Materials and Methods: The 24 albino Wistar female rats were divided into four groups: Healthy (HG), sham-operation (SOG), ovarian ischemia-reperfusion (OIRG) and Rilmenidine+ovarian ischemia-reperfusion (ROIRG). Ovaries in SOG, OIRG and ROIRG groups were exposed to ischemia for three hrs, followed by reperfusion for 6 days. The ROIRG rats were treated with Rilmenidine (0.2 mg/kg) daily for 6 days before ischemia. The ovaries were analyzed for oxidant, antioxidant and proinflammatory cytokines and examined histopathologically. Statistical analysis was performed using one-way ANOVA and Kruskal-Wallis tests (p<0.05). Results: The IR procedure increased tissue malondialdehyde, tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-6 and interleukin-1β levels and decreased total glutathione, superoxide dismutase and catalase levels (p<0.001). Severe histopathologic damage and 8-hydroxy-20-deoxyguanosine immunopositivity were also observed in ovarian tissues of OIRG (p<0.001). Rilmenidine inhibited IR-related biochemical, histopathological and immunohistochemical abnormalities (p<0.05). Conclusion: Rilmenidine may be an efficient therapeutic strategy for the protection from ovarian IR injury.