Tannic acid ameliorates sperm quality and testicular damage in a rat model of ischemia-reperfusion
Volume 17, Issue 9, September 2026, Pages 639-645
Hosna Ghaemi, Ali Soleimanzadeh, Rahim Mohammadi, Ali Shalizar-Jalali
Abstract This study evaluated the protective effects of intraperitoneal (IP) tannic acid (TA) against ischemia-reperfusion (IR) injury in a rat model of testicular torsion. Eighteen mature male Wistar rats were randomized into three groups, including sham (surgery without ischemia), IR (3 hr ischemia + 3 hr reperfusion), and IR + TA (50.00 mg kg-1 TA; 100 µL intraperitoneally 30 min before reperfusion). Testicular tissues were sampled immediately after reperfusion for biochemical assays to measure malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) levels. Epididymides were analyzed 60 days later for sperm count, motility, viability, morphology, and DNA integrity. The IR significantly elevated MDA and sperm DNA damage while reducing SOD, GPx, sperm parameters, testicular weight, and spermatogenesis. The TA administration reversed these changes and restored the parameters to levels close to those of the sham group. Overall, intraperitoneal TA mitigated IR-induced oxidative stress and preserved reproductive function, indicating its potential therapeutic value in testicular torsion.