Diabetes causes a systemic inflammatory response with increased oxidative stress and can adversely effect spermatogenesis. Sickle-weed plant, scientifically called Falcaria vlugaris, contains antioxidants and antimicrobial ingredients. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of Falcaria vulgaris vulgaris extract on the sperm parameters of diabetic rats. In this experimental study, diabetes was induced in the animals using streptozotocin (STZ; 60 mg/kg). Sixty-four rats were equally divided into eight groups as follows: nondiabetic (normal) controls; normal rats given 50, 100 or 150 mg/kg doses of F. vulgaris extract; diabetic controls induced by STZ; and diabetic animals that received STZ plus 50, 100 or 150 mg/kg F. vulgaris extract. The animals were injected with the extract intraperitoneally once a day for 28 consecutive days. The sperm parameters of count, motility, morphology, viability, total antioxidant capacity and seminiferous tube diameter were analysed and compared. The results indicated that the values of all parameters decreased significantly in the diabetic control groups compared to the normal control group (p < 0.00). The parameters of the diabetic groups that received 50, 100 or 150 mg/kg F. vulgaris extract showed significant increases in all parameters at all doses compared to the diabetic control group (p ≤ 0.001). The administration of F. vulgaris extract as a potent antioxidant was able to compensate for the toxicity induced by STZ and increase the quality of some spermatozoa.

Reproductive toxicity is one of the side effects of cyclophosphamide (CP) in cancer treatment. Pumpkin seeds and Zingiber officinale are natural sources of antioxidants. We investigated the possible protective effect of combined pumpkin seed and Zingiber officinale extracts on sperm characteristics, epididymal histology and biochemical parameters of CP-treated rats. Male adult Wistar rats were divided randomly into six groups. Group 1, as a control, received an isotonic saline solution injection intraperitoneally (IP). Group 2 were injected IP with a single dose of CP (100 mg/kg) once. Groups 3 and 4 received CP plus 300 and 600 mg/kg combined pumpkin seed and Zingiber officinale extract (50:50). Groups 5 and 6 received only 300 and 600 mg/kg combined pumpkin seed and Zingiber officinale extract. Six weeks after treatment, sperm characteristics, histopathological changes and biochemical parameters were assessed. In CP-treated rats, motile spermatozoa were decreased, and abnormal or dead spermatozoa increased significantly (P < 0.001) but administration of the mixed extract improved sperm parameters. Epididymal epithelium and fibromascular thickness were also improved in extract-treated rats compared to control or CP groups. Biochemical analysis showed that the administration of combined extracts could increase the total antioxidant capacity (TAC) level significantly in groups 3, 4, 5 and 6. Interestingly, the mixed extract could decrease most of the side effects of CP such as vacuolization and separation of epididymal tissue. Our findings indicated that the combined extracts might be used as a protective agent against CP-induced reproductive toxicity.

Diabetes mellitus is a frequent and serious metabolic illness all over the world and plants have been a desirable source of medicine recently. Diabetes has unpleasant effect on male reproductive system and it may lead to male infertility. It causes erectile dysfunction and reduces ejaculate volume by affecting the health of small blood vessels and the small nerves that control ejaculation and also decreases libido by decreasing testosterone levels. Current study evaluated the possible protective efficiency of Lepidium sativum (Garden cress) seed extract on fasting blood sugar (FBS) and then assessed histopathological change of epididymis in streptozotocine (STZ)-induced diabetic rats. We randomly categorized 50 adult male Wistar rats into five groups (each 10 rats). Group 1 was control placebo group receiving only 0.1 ml normal saline via gastric gavages, Group 2 as control diabetic rats received an intraperitoneal (IP) injection of STZ 60 mg/kg body weight. Rats with FBS >250 mg/dl were considered as diabetic. Group 3 were diabetic rats receiving insulin in dose 3U/100 g body weight and Groups 4 and 5 were diabetic rats that received 0.1 cc of 200 and 400 mg/kg‚ ethanol extract of Lepidium sativum seed by gavages daily. One day after the last gavages, rats were anesthetized by chloroform. Epididymis duct was removed from abdomen and weighed with a digital scale. Afterwards, samples were putted in Bouin's solution for histological measurement. Administration of 200 and 400 mg/ml doses of Lepidium sativum seed extract increased epithelium height and decreased interstitial volume density and fibro muscular thickness significantly. Also, volume density of epithelium, fibro muscular, lumen and interstitial decreased significantly. Tubular and lumen diameter did not change significantly in different groups. It appears Lepidium sativum seed extract is a beneficial protective supplementary agent against adverse effects of diabetes on male reproductive system.

KAMANI, M.; MHABADI, J. A.; ATLASI, M. A.; SEYEDI, F.; KAMANI, E. & NIKZAD, H.Protective effect of alcoholic extract of garden cress seeds on the histopathological changes of the ventral prostate in streptozotocin diabetic rats. Int. J. Morphol., 35(3):1178Morphol., 35(3): -1184Morphol., 35(3): , 2017. SUMMARY:Diabetes mellitus is a common serious metabolic illness occurring worldwide that may lead to male infertility. Various plants have been used in the treatment of diabetes. In this study, the effect of garden cress (Lepidium sativum) seed extract on fasting blood sugar is assessed for its protective effect on histopathological changes in the ventral prostate gland of streptozotocine-induced diabetic rats. Fifty adult male Wistar rats were randomly selected into five groups. Group 1 was the control placebo group where rats received only 0.1 mL normal saline via gastric gavages. Rats in Group 2 received an intraperitoneal injection of STZ 60 mg/kg body weight and those with FBS >250 mg/dL were considered diabetic. In Group 3, diabetic rats received insulin (3 U/100 g body weight) while in Groups 4 and 5 diabetic rats received 0.1 ml of 200 and 400 mg/kg respectively of an ethanol extract of Lepidium sativum seeds by gavage daily. The prostate was removed and weighed before transfer to Bouin's solution for histological studies. Administration of the 200 and 400 mg/kg doses of Lepidium sativum seed extract increased epithelium height and decreased interstitial volume density and fibromuscular thickness of the prostate significantly. Also, the volume density of the epithelium, fibro muscular, lumen, and interstitial tissues were changed significantly. The results suggest that Lepidium sativum seed extract has beneficial effects as a protective agent against the detrimental effects of diabetes on the reproductive system of diabetic male rats.

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