Astaxanthin mitigates radiation-induced erectile dysfunction: protective effects on corpus cavernosum in a rat model

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Abstract
The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of ionizing radiation (iR) on corpus cavernosum and the potential of astaxanthin (AST) in preventing radiation-induced erectile dysfunction (RiED). Male Wistar Albino rats (10–12 week, 250–300 g) were divided-into four groups: sham (SH, n = 8), radiotherapy (RT, n = 8), vehicle-administered (olive oil (OO); RT + OO, n = 12), and astaxanthin (RT + AST, n = 12). The RT-group received 12-Gy prostate-targeted iR. The vehicle-administered (OO) group received iR with daily 1 ml OO via oral gavage, while the AST-group received iR with 50 mg/kg AST dissolved in OO. After the treatment-period (12-week), intracavernosal pressure to mean arterial pressure (ICP/MAP) ratios in the RT [0.28(0.14–0.65)] and OO groups [0.26(0.19–0.64)] were significantly lower than in the SH [0.6(0.43–0.72)] and AST [0.53(0.35–0.64)] groups ( p < 0.05). iR caused narrowing of the cavernous sinusoids (RT:95.38 (84.62–110.05) vs SH:132.33 (113.27–155.86), AST:124.44 (112.11–131.97) µm, p < 0.001). Alpha smooth muscle actin (SH:165 (136.25–188.75) vs RT:100 (87.5–112.5), AST:137.5 (107.5–155), p < 0.001), endothelial nitric-oxide synthase (NOS) (SH:127.5 (115–167.5) vs RT:92.5 (81.25–98.75), AST:115 (86.25–128.75), p = 0.002) and neuronal NOS (SH:152.5 (133.75–163.75) vs RT:95 (81.25–103.75), AST:135 (125–140), p < 0.001) were diminished in the RT-group and preserved in the AST-group according to immunohistochemical scoring. Biochemical measurements of the corpus cavernosum revealed that the level of cGMP was significantly higher (93.15 (71.22–103.38) vs 70.8 (65–72.35) pmol/ml) in the AST-group, while lipid peroxidation was significantly higher (32.38 (29.07–36.98) vs 20.14 (17.85–21.04) nmol.mda/g) in the RT-group ( p = 0.004, p < 0.001). This trial showed that AST preserved ICP/MAP values and histopathological-biochemical parameters after exposure to iR.

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