The Hypoxic Testicle: Physiology and Pathophysiology

Table 1

Experimental approaches that prevent testicular and sperm damage during environmental hypoxia.

Hypobaric hypoxia	Treatment	Mechanism	Results versus injury	Reference
Acute	Cyproheptadine	5-HT receptor blocker	▼Effects on spermatogenesis and testosterone production	[40]
Chronic	Caloric restriction	?	Suppresses early rise in testosterone	[31]
Intermittent	Ascorbic acid	▼Oxidative stress in testis and epididymis; ▲Glutathione reductase activity in testis and epididymis; ▲ Sperm count	Reversedthe effectsof oxidative stress intestis, epididymis, and sperm cells	[41]
Intermittent	Melatonin; (oral administration)	Preventsoxidativedamageof enzymes like superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione peroxidase	Protective effect against lipid peroxidation under oxidative stress and reduction in sperm motility	[42]
Intermittent	Melatonin; (intraperitoneal administration)	▼ Levels of LH and FSH; Inhibition of aromatase	No protective effect in testis, and epididymis; No prevention of reduction in the numbers of sperm cells	[43]
Chronic and intermittent	Ibuprofen	Decreases hypoxia-induced vasodilation?	Protective effect against hypoxia-induced seminal lipid peroxidation	[42]