The effect of folate on ischemia/reperfusion injury in a rat adnexal torsion model.

Abstract

The ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury of ovaries in adnexal torsion may have inadvertent consequences. Many agents have been studied in terms of their ability to prevent reperfusion damage to ovaries in suspected cases. In this study, folic acid, known to have antioxidative properties, was investigated to determine whether it played a role in the prevention of I/R damage in a rat ovarian torsion model. In this experimental study, 40 female adult Wistar-Albino rats were randomly divided into five groups as control, ischemia, I/R, Fol2 (2mg/kg folic acid), and Fol4 (4mg/kg folic acid). In the Fol2 and Fol4 groups, folic acid was intraperitonelly administered 30min before reperfusion. Blood samples were obtained from the tails of each rat at the second hour of reperfusion. The total oxidant status (TOS), total antioxidant status, cystatin C and folic acid levels of the five groups were investigated. Folic acid in 2mg/kg dose could moderately increase the serum folic acid concentration (15.75-19.95ng/ml, p < 0.05), reduce the level of cystatin C (0.18-0.12μg/L, p < 0.05), and had a tendency to improve the oxidative stress injury (OSI: 76.05-33.06, p > 0.05), although there was no statistical difference in TOS levels (p = 0.07). Folic acid in 4mg/kg dose, could significantly increase the serum folic acid concentration (15.75-37.65ng/ml). However, it did not significantly reduce the level of cystatin C (0.18-0.19μg/L, p > 0.05), and did not improve oxidative stress injury (76.05-130.58, p > 0.05). Folic acid in 2mg/kg dose might improve the ovarian I/R injury though this was not statistically significant. Further studies are required to reach a definitive conclusion about the protective effect of folic acid in I/R injury.