Protective effects of melatonin against physical injuries to testicular tissue: A systematic review and meta-analysis of animal models

Infertility is a global challenge, and damage to testicular tissue can cause male infertility. Melatonin, an antioxidant, may protect testicular tissue. This study reviewed animal models to evaluate melatonin's effects against physical, heat, and ischemic damage to testicular tissue. Researchers searched databases for animal trials that evaluated the protective effect of melatonin on rodent testicular tissue exposed to physical, thermal, ischemic, or hypobaric oxygen stress. They used random-effect modeling to estimate the standardized mean difference. The study found that melatonin therapy generally improved the histopathological characteristics of testicular tissue in rodents. Melatonin treatment was associated with higher sperm count, morphology, forward motility, viability, and Johnsen’s biopsy score.

• 1
  Melatonin therapy was associated with improved testicular histopathological characteristics, reproductive hormonal panel, and tissue markers of oxidative stress in male rodents with physical, ischemic, and thermal testicular injuries.
• 2
  Sperm count, morphology, forward motility, viability, Johnsen’s biopsy score, testicular tissue glutathione peroxidase, and superoxide dismutase levels were higher in the melatonin treatment rodent arms.
• 3
  Malondialdehyde level in testicular tissue was lower in the treatment rodent arms.