Diabetic patients develop ischemic heart disease and strokes more readily. Following an ischemic event, restoration of blood flow increases oxidative stress resulting in myocardial damage, termed ischemia/reperfusion injury. Aspalathus linearis (rooibos), rich in the antioxidant phenolic compound aspalathin, has been implicated as cardioprotective against ischemia/reperfusion injury with undefined mechanism in control rats. Primarily, the therapeutic potential of Afriplex green rooibos extract to prevent ischemia/reperfusion injury in cardiovascular disease-compromised rats was investigated. Additionally, Afriplex Green rooibos extractʼs cardioprotective signaling on metabolic markers and stress markers was determined using western blotting. Three hundred male Wistar rats received either 16-wk standard diet or high-caloric diet. During the final 6 wk, half received 60 mg/kg/day Afriplex green rooibos extract, containing 12.48% aspalathin. High-caloric diet increased body weight, body fat, fasting serum triglycerides, and homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance – indicative of prediabetes. High-caloric diet rats had increased heart mass, infarct size, and decreased heart function. Afriplex green rooibos extract treatment for 6 wk lowered pre-ischemic heart rate, reduced infarct size, and improved heart function pre- and post-ischemia, without significantly affecting biometric parameters. Stabilized high-caloric diet hearts had decreased insulin independence via adenosine monophosphate activated kinase and increased inflammation (p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase), whereas Afriplex green rooibos extract treatment decreased insulin dependence (protein kinase B) and conferred anti-inflammatory effect. After 20 min ischemia, high-caloric diet hearts had upregulated ataxia–telangiectasia mutated kinase decreased insulin independence, and downregulated insulin dependence and glycogen synthase kinase 3 β inhibition. In contrast, Afriplex green rooibos extract supplementation downregulated insulin independence and inhibited extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1 and 2. During reperfusion, all protective signaling was decreased in high-caloric diet, while Afriplex green rooibos extract supplementation reduced oxidative stress (c-Jun N-terminal kinases 1 and 2) and inflammation. Taken together, Afriplex green rooibos extract supplementation for 6 wk preconditioned cardiovascular disease-compromised rat hearts against ischemia/reperfusion injury by lowering inflammation, oxidative stress, and heart rate.

The present study investigated the effects of Kolaviron (KV) on the testicular and epididymal tissue antioxidant status in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats. Diabetes was induced by a single intraperitoneal injection of STZ at 50 mg/ kg body weight. The antioxidant status was studied by evaluating epididymal and testicular levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), a lipid peroxidation (LPO) marker, and the activities of catalase (CAT) glutathione peroxidase (GPX) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) were also assessed using biochemical techniques. Diabetes induction resulted in testicular and epididymal LPO and adversely affected the activities of antioxidant enzymes evident by a noticeable decrease in enzyme activity in both tissues. The potential antioxidative effects of KV in the testicular and epididymal tissues of STZ-induced diabetes were revealed by its ability to mitigate against LPO and increase the activity of antioxidant defense enzymes in the reproductive tissues studied. KV might potentially be used as an antioxidant as well as antidiabetic treatment; however, further studies are needed.

Additional information is available at the end of the chapter http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/57174 . IntroductionErectile dysfunction ED or male impotence is a sexual dysfunction characterized by the inability to develop or maintain an erection of the penis [ ]. There are various underlying causes, such as a compromised cardiovascular system and diseases such as diabetes and chronic kidney disease CKD , many of which are medically treatable. The causes of erectile dysfunction may be physiological or psychological [ ]. Sexual function includes libido, penile erection, ejaculation, and orgasm. While each of these parameters may be of concern to an individual patient, the vast majority of men complain of ED. Testosterone deficiency frequently is associated with decreased libido and ED. ED is a clinical problem that is underdiagnosed, under-evaluated, and under-treated. The prevalence of ED increases with age, and it is associated with multiple medical conditions including diabetes, hypertension, and heart disease that also increase with age. ED is a highly prevalent and often underreported condition. The prevalence of ED varies in different countries and approximately million men worldwide are estimated to be affected with ED. More than half of US men between the ages of and years are estimated to have ED. The worldwide ED prevalence in men with diabetes ranges from % to % and it is estimated that the prevalence of ED will double in the next years [ ]. There is a strong link between ED and atherosclerotic disease due to the fact that they share similar risk factors. In a study where patients referred for myocardial perfusion single-photon emission computed tomography were screened for ED with a questionnaire, it was found out that . % of the patients had ED. Patients with ED showed more severe coronary heart disease. In diabetic patients, ED has been shown to predict silent coronary artery disease, and in asymptomatic men without cardiovascular risk factors or