P-30: The Effect of Exogenous Melatonin on Fertility in Rat Oligospermic Induced with Busulfan and Pinealectomy Model

Background: Although chemotherapy drugs used in treatment of cancer such as lukemia, prostate and ovary cancer and oligospermia is important contraceptive of this drugs therefore this drugs are author of infertility or low fertility in specimen. In the other hand, the studies show that melatonin is secreted from pineal gland has a direct efficacy on the gonads. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of exogenous melatonin on spermatogenesis and fertility in adult rat oligospermic model under pinealectomy. Materials and Methods: In this study, 60 rats weighing 250-300 gr were used. The animals were randomly divided into 6 groups: 1. the control group did not receive any medication, 2. recipient busulfan, 3. recipient of the DMSO(dimethylsulfoxide) as Vehicle busulfan (busulfan sham), 4. Pinealectomized and recipient busulfan and melatonin, 5. surgical sham animal, only skull bones was opened, 6. Pinealectomized, recipient busulfan and ethanol as Vehicle melatonin .Single dose of busulfan and melatonin 60 days that were used by intraperitoneal injection, the dose of busulfan 20 mg/kg and melatonin 0.5 mg/kg were injected. Animals were sacrificed 60 days after treatment and evalutions were made by determining of sperm parameters (sperm motility, count and morphology), infertility study with IVF. The data were analyzed using SPSS version 16 (ANOVA and Tuckey test). Results: Busulfan significantly reduced sperm count and motility and normal forms in comparision with that of control group (p<0.05). However, combined treatment cause of reduced of sperm parameters but in comparison with recipient busulfan group author loss of cavity in germinal cell epithelium and creation a Spermatogenic cell mass in the seminiferous tubules. Conclusion: Melatonin has a protective effect on spermatogenesis in the busulfan treated rats. Although the mechanism is unknown that may act by reducing the oxidative damage done. Also it did not affect the infertility and the percentage of fertilized eggs, This is perhaps indicative of the various metabolites of melatonin have been implicated in this action.