Melatonin protects testes against lithium-pilocarpine-induced temporal lobe epilepsy in rats: a time course study

Male dysfunction is common in patients with temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE). We evaluated whether melatonin, as a supplement, can play a positive role in reducing the epileptogenesis imposing abnormalities of spermatozoa and testes in epileptic rats. Status epilepticus was induced based on the TLE lithium-pilocarpine model. Two patterns of melatonin were administered to the epileptic animals along the mean durations of latent (14days) and chronic (60days) phases. Sperm parameters, different antioxidant enzyme levels, germ cell apoptosis, body and relative sex organ weights were evaluated in all groups 60days following SE induction. Chronic TLE caused a significant reduction in sperm parameters. In the testis, the reduced level of antioxidant enzymes was accompanied by a significant increase in malondialdehyde concentration. The presence of oxidant condition in the testes of epileptic animals caused expanded apoptosis in the germ cell layer. Moreover, the amount of weight gain in epileptic animals was more prominent. Melatonin administration was able to improve sperm motility by increasing the total antioxidant level. There was also a significant reduction in the spermatogenic cell line apoptosis and the extra weight gain of melatonin-treated animals. Melatonin supplementation might be considered as an acceptable cotreatment in epileptic patients.