The effect of melatonin on ductus epididymis. Unilateral testicular torsion in rats

The main pathophysiology of testicular torsion is ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury of the testis caused by the twisted spermatic cord and its release.1 Although extensive research has been conducted on the pathophysiology of testicular torsion, the effect of ischemia on the epididymis has not been primarily investigated due to the testis and epididymis share a common blood supply (testicular, cremasteric, and vasal vessels).2 The main cause of testicular damage after torsion is oxygen free radicals produced during reperfusion. Oxygen free radicals oxidize membrane lipids, proteins, and DNA, leading to cellular dysfunction and sometimes cell death. Melatonin (N-acetyl-5-methoxytryptamine) is a neurohormone synthesized and secreted predominantly by the pineal gland in the dark and has been shown recently to be