The Effects of Crocin on Sperm Parameters, Testosterone Level, and Testicular Histomorphology in Testis Torsion in Albino Mice

Testicular torsion is associated with inflammatory response. Detorsion is one of the treatment methods in testicular torsion. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of crocin administration before detorsion on sperm parameters and serum testosterone level.

Mice were randomly divided into five groups. Control group had only incision in the scrotum region; three treatment groups in which left testis was twisted for two hours, and then 25, 50, or 100 mg/kg crocin was injected intraperitoneally before detorsion; and in sham group, distilled water was injected before detorsion. After 24 hours, sperm parameters were evaluated using eosin-negrosin staining, serum testosterone level was evaluated using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kit, and histopathological changes were evaluated using hematoxylin-eosin staining via CellSens Entry software. Data were analyzed using analysis of variance, at the significance level of P < 0.05.

Administration of 100 mg/kg crocin improved sperm viability in treatment group. Although the mean testosterone level in the treatment groups was 1.2.01 ± 0.39 ng/µl, no significant difference was observed with the other groups. The mean epithelium height of the seminiferous tubules was 53.74 ± 1.53 μm in the control group, and 41.13±1.39 μm in the treatment groups, and in the sham group it decreased significantly (1.41 ± 31.12 μm).

Crocin may have improved some of the study indicators by compensating the inflammatory effects.