We investigated the role of boric acid (BA) in ovarian tissue damage caused by ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) in the rat. We established four groups of seven adult female rats: untreated control; ovarian I/R; 15 mg/kg BA; I/R + 15 mg/kg BA. Ovarian levels of lipid peroxidase (LPO), myeloperoxidase (MPO), glutathione (GSH), catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) were measured biochemically. Ovaries were evaluated for histopathology and investigated using immunohistochemistry. We detected greater LPO activity and less CAT, SOD and GSH levels in the I/R groups compared to the control group. LPO and MPO levels in ovarian samples for the I/R goup were increased significantly compared to untreated controls. The levels of LPO and MPO in ovarian tissue for the I/R + BA group were not significantly different from controls. SOD and GSH activity in ovarian tissue was increased significantly compared to controls. We found degenerated parenchymal cells, hemorrhage, necrotic parenchyma cells and congestion in the I/R groups. Expression of 8-OHdG was greater in the I/R group than in controls. Although immunostained cells were dense in the ovarian tissue in the I/R group, the number of immunostained cells was decreased by application of BA to the I/R group. BA exhibits a protective effect on ovarian tissue against I/R damage in the rat.
Keywords: 8-OHdG ovary; Boric acid; histology; immunohistochemistry; ischemia/reperfusion; oxidative stress; rat.