To evaluate the efficacy of Rhodiola rosea (R. rose) extract in terms of preventing tissue injury induced by testicular torsion and subsequent ischemia/reperfusion (I/R).

Twenty-one Wistar albino male rats were divided into 3 groups: group 1 = control group, group 2 = I/R group, and group 3 = I/R + extract group. After 2 hours of ischemia and 4 hours of reperfusion, testes were removed and evaluated histologically by hematoxylin and eosin staining. Apoptosis in spermatogonial cells of seminiferous tubules was determined by transferase biotin-2′-deoxyuridine, 5′-triphosphate nick end labeling (TUNEL). To assess oxidative damage, serum malondialdehyde (MDA) and glutathione (GSH) levels were measured.

Median MDA and GSH levels were, respectively, 12 ± 3 pmol/mL and 24.8 ± 3.8 μM in group 1, 38 ± 11 pmol/mL and 10.3 ± 1.7 μM in group 2, and 19 ± 5 pmol/mL and 17.6 ± 1.3 μM in group 3 (P <.001 and P <.001, respectively). Median MDA levels, apoptotic cell density, and histopathologic scoring were significantly lower in groups 1 and 3 compared to group 2 (P <.017 for all). Median GSH levels were higher in groups 1 and 3 compared to group 2 (P <.017).

R. rosea extract was shown to have partially preventive effects on testicular injury induced by torsion in this rat model. The mechanism by which R. rosea extract cause these effects merits further investigation.