Protective effects of Equisetum arvense methanolic extract on sperm characteristics and in vitro fertilization potential in experimental diabetic mice: An experimental study

Background: Diabetes mellitus is a metabolic disorder characterized by impaired insulin secretion or the inability of tissues to respond to insulin. This disease can damage the testis and reduce semen quality. Therefore, it can impair the potential for male fertility. Different herbal therapeutic treatments have been used to control diabetes and its complications. Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the effects of streptozotocin-induced diabetes on sperm and in vitro fertilization (IVF) potential and investigate the protective effects of Equisetum arvense methanolic extract on diabetic mice. Materials and Methods: Twenty-four adult male mice were divided into four groups: control-sham, diabetic, diabetic + Equisetum extract (250 mg/kg), and diabetic + Equisetum extract (500 mg/kg). After 45 days, sperm samples were collected from the cauda epididymis to evaluate the characteristics of sperm and the IVF potential. Results: Sperm motility and viability were increased remarkably (p≤ 0.001) in the treated groups compared with the non-treated diabetic group. The decrease in sperm count in the diabetic group compared with the treated groups was not significant. Moreover, the percentage of sperm with DNA damage, nuclear immaturity, and abnormal morphology was decreased significantly (p≤ 0.001) in the treated groups compared with the diabetic group. The treated animals exhibited remarkably higher fertilization rates and a higher percentage of fertilized oocytes that developed toward the blastocyst stage compared with the non-treated diabetic group (p≤ 0.001). Conclusion: The methanolic extract of the Equisetum arvense inhibited diabetes-induced detrimental effects on sperm quality and fertilization rate, which may have been associated with hypoglycemic and antioxidative activities in this plant. Key words: Diabetes, Equisetum, Sperm, Streptozotocin, Mice

Toxic effect of acyclovir on testicular tissue in rats

Background: Acyclovir (ACV), a synthetic purine nucleoside analogue, is known to be toxic to gonads. Objective: The current study evaluated cytotoxicity of ACV on histopathological changes in testis tissue and serum testosterone and lipid peroxidation concentrations of male rats. Materials and Methods: Animals were divided into five groups. One group served as control and one group served as control sham. In the drug treated groups ACV administered for 15 days. 18 days after the last injection, animals were sacrificed. Histopathological and histomorphometrical analysis of the testis was carried out. Serum levels of testosterone and Lipid Peroxidation and potential fertility of animals was evaluated. Results: Male rats exposed to ACV had significant reduction in serum testosterone concentrations at 16 and 48mg/kg dose-levels (p<0.01). ACV induced histopathological changes in the testis and also increase the mean number of mast cells in peritubular or interstitial tissue in the testis at at 16 and 48mg/kg dose-levels (p<0.01). In addition ACV caused increase of serum level of Lipid Peroxidation at 48mg/kg dose-level (p<0.05). As well ACV decreased potential fertility in male rats. Conclusion: The present results highly support the idea that ACV has adverse effect on the reproductive system in male rat

The Ultrastructural Study of Oocyte and Zona Pellucida in Ovarian Follicles of Untreated and Metformin-Treated Diabetic Rats Subsequent to Induction of Experimental Diabetes

Background: Diabetes is a metabolic disorder affecting the whole body systems including the female reproductive organs. Moreover, diabetes is an important cause of infertility. Metformin is commonly used to control hyperglycemia in patients with diabetes. This study was done to evaluate the ultrastructural changes of ovarian follicles in diabetic rats and their response to metformin.Methods: Thirty-six adult Sprague-Dawley female rats (170-210 g) were studied in three groups (Control, diabetic and metformin-treated rats). In the second and third groups, diabetes was induced by injection of streptozotocin (45 mg/kg). The rats in the third group were later treated by metformin monohydrochloride (100 mg/kg). At the end of the experiment, rats were sacrificed and their right ovaries were observed under transmission electron microscope. Quantitative data were analyzed by student t-test in SAS software.Results: In comparison with the control group, significant decreases in zona pellucida thickness and the mean number of microvilli were observed (respectively, P<0.01 and P<0.001) in diabetic rats. Significant decreases in zona pellucida thickness were also observed in metformin-treated rats (P<0.05) but changes in the number of microvilli were non-significant. The number of organelles in oocyte cytoplasm was higher and they were natural or natural-looking in metformin-treated rats versus the diabetic ones. Reduction in the number of mitochondria and their ballooning cristae were of the most noticeable changes in diabetic rats.Conclusion: Diabetes decreases the number of microvilli and oocyte organelles and diminishes zona pellucida thickness leading to structural changes in the organelles but metformin could improve the aforesaid conditions

Protective effects of vitamin E and Cornus mas fruit extract on methotrexate-induced cytotoxicity in sperms of adult mice

This study was aimed to assess the protective effects of Cornus mas fruit extract (CMFE) and vitamin E (Vit E) on sperm quality parameters in the methotrexate (MTX)-treated mice. Forty-eight young adult male mice (8-12 weeks) were randomly divided into six groups including control and test groups. The control group received normal saline orally , and the test groups were treated MTX (20 mg kg-1, ip, once weekly), MTX + CMFE (250 mg kg-1), MTX + CMFE (500 mg kg-1), MTX + CMFE (1000 mg kg-1), and MTX + Vit E (100 IU kg-1, po) for 35 consecutive days. On day 35, after euthanasia the epididymal sperms were isolated. Then the total mean sperm count, sperm viability and motility were determined. The total antioxidant capacity (TAOC) of all experimental groups were also evaluated. The MTX-treated animals showed a significant changes in all parameters of sperm quality assessment compared to the control group. Both Vit E and CMFE were able to protect from MTX-induced effects on sperm maturity and DNA damage. Co-administration of MTX and CMFE and/or Vit E resulted in protection from MTX-reduced TAOC. In conclusion, these data suggested that MTX administration could adversely affect the sperm quality. Moreover, the protective effect of Vit E and CMFE on MTX-induced sperm toxicity was also documented