The Effects of Troxerutin on Spermatozoid Parameters, Testicular Levels of Oxidative Stress and Apoptosis in Type 1 Diabetic Adult and Prepubertal Male Rats

Abstract

The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of troxerutin on spermatozoid parameters, oxidative stress and apoptosis in the testis of male non-adult and adult diabetic rats. Methods: This study was performed on 100 male (50 non adult and 50 adult) Wistar rats. Animals were randomly divided into 5 group of 10 rats as follows: control (c), troxerutin (T), diabetic (DM), diabetic received troxerutin (DT), and diabetic received insulin (DI) groups. Diabetes type 1 was induced by intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin (STZ) 55 mg/kg. Following confirmation of diabetes, animals in the T and DT groups were received daily troxerutin 150 mg/k, gavage, and insulin in the DI group for 4 weeks. At the end of the procedure, animals were anesthetized and blood samples were taken from inferior vena cava. Plasma levels of glucose and insulin as well as testicular levels of malondialdehyde, superoxide dismutase, gluthatione peroxidase, and total antioxidant capacity were measured. Moreover, spermatozoid parameters and apoptosis in the testicular tissue were analyzed. Results: The results showed that diabetes induction significantly led to an increase in blood glucose levels, decreased insulin, attenuated number, motility and viability of sperms, and increased malondialdehyde and TUNEL-positive cells in the testis (p<0.001). However, troxerutin, like insulin, significantly reduced blood glucose, increased number, motility and viability of sperms, and attenuated malondialdehyde and the number of TUNEL-positive cells in the testis of diabetic animals (p<0.001).