P-57: Simvastatin Abates Doxorubicin-Induced Teratozoospermia

Background: Therapeutic utilities of doxorubicin (DOX), an anticancer anthracycline antibiotic, are limited by its serious dosedependent toxicity to non-target tissues such as testis. The aim of the present study was to elucidate the potential of simvastatin (SIM), a lipid lowering agent with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities, to attenuate DOX-induced spermatotoxicity in male mice. Materials and Methods: Male mice, five weeks old, were randomly divided into four groups of six mice each. DOX was administered to two groups of mice in 5 equal intraperitoneal injections over a period of 4 weeks (accumulated dose of 20 mg/kg). One of these groups received 5 equal oral doses of SIM (accumulated dose of 60 mg/kg)along with DOX. A vehicle-treated control group and a SIM control group were also included. Teratozoospermia index (TZI) was defined as the number of abnormalities present per abnormal spermatozoon. Results: A statistically significant elevation of TZI value was observed in the DOX-treated mice as compared to control mice. In contrast, SIM co-administration provided marked normalization in the TZI value when compared to the DOX-only treated group. Conclusion: These findings have indicated that SIM exerts protective effects against DOX-induced spermatogenic disorders. Mechanisms may involve suppressing inflammation and reducing oxidative stress induced by DOX treatment.