Genoprotective Properties of para-Tyrosol against Doxorubicin-Induced DNA Damage in Sperm and Testicular Tissue Cells of Rats

The effect of para-tyrosol (PT), a hydroxyalkylphenol exhibiting antioxidant properties, on the level of DNA damage in testicular tissue cells and sperm of rats treated with doxorubicin was studied using the DNA comet assay. N-acetylcysteine (NAC) was used as a reference drug. It was found that both drugs reduced the number of DNA breaks in rat testicular tissue cells (by 46-48%). The antigenotoxic effect, judging by %DNA in tail, in relation to spermatozoa was detected only in PT. The number of DNA damage in male germ cells after treatment with PT was reduced by 52% from the control (administration of doxorubicin alone). The results suggest that it is advisable to use PT in order to reduce the genotoxicity of doxorubicin, in the therapy of Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) in treatment regimens containing this anthracycline antibiotic.