In the present study, we aimed to investigate the protective effect of ferulic acid at different doses (50 mg/kg alternative day and 50 mg/kg daily) on diabetic rats and to explore the interrelationship between oxidative stress and cytokines correlates with apoptotic events in pancreatic tissue. Male Wistar rats were rendered diabetic by a single intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin (60 mg/kg body weight). Ferulic acid was administered orally for 8 weeks. At the end of the study, all animals were sacrificed. Blood samples were collected for the biochemical estimations and pancreas was isolated for antioxidant status, histopathological, immunohistochemical, and apoptotic studies. Treatment with ferulic acid to diabetic rats significantly improved blood glucose, serum total cholesterol, triglycerides, creatinine, urea, and albumin levels toward normal. Furthermore, decrement of the elevated lipid peroxidation levels and increment of the reduced superoxide dismutase, catalase, and reduced glutathione enzyme activities in pancreatic tissues were observed in ferulic acid-treated groups. Ferulic acid-treated rats in the diabetic group showed an improved histological appearance. Our data also revealed a significant reduction in the activity of apoptosis using terminal dUTP nick end-labeling and reduced expression of TGF-β1 and IL-1β in the pancreatic β-cell of ferulic acid-treated rats. Treatment with ferulic acid daily doses produced a significant result compared to alternative dose. Collectively our results suggested that ferulic acid acts as a protective agent in diabetic rats by altering oxidative stress, expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines and apoptosis.

The aim of this study was to investigate the protective effect of ferulic acid at different doses (50 mg kg(-1) alternative day and 50 mg kg(-1) daily) on the streptozotocin (STZ)-induced post-diabetes rat testicular damage. Diabetes was induced by a single intraperitoneal injection of STZ (50 mg/kg). Rats treated with ferulic acid were given once a day orally for 10 weeks, starting 3 days after STZ injection. Testis tissue and blood samples were collected for investigating biochemical analysis, antioxidant status, sperm parameters, and histopathological, immunohistochemical and apoptotic studies. Treatment with ferulic acid to diabetic rats significantly improved the body weight, testis weight, serum insulin level, serum testosterone level and sperm parameters (viability, motility and count). Histopathological study also revealed that ferulic acid-treated diabetic rats showed an improved histological appearance. Our data indicated that significant reduction in the activity of apoptosis by using terminal deoxyuridine triphosphate nick end-labelling and reduced expression of transforming growth factor-β1 and interleukin-1β in the testis tissue of ferulic acid-treated diabetic rats. Conversely, it was also revealed that ferulic acid-treated diabetic rats markedly enhanced the serine/threonine protein kinase protein expression in the testis tissue. Our result suggests that ferulic acid inhibits testicular damage in diabetic rats by declining oxidative stress.

The aim of this study was to investigate the protective effect of naringenin on oxidative stress, on proinflammatorycytokines like TGF-β1, IL-1β and on programmed cell death in the testicular damage resultingfrom streptozotocin (STZ) induced diabetes in rats. Diabetes was induced by a single intraperitoneal injectionof STZ (50 mg/kg), and the rats were treated with naringenin (5 mg/kg and 10 mg/kg) administered oncea day orally for 10 weeks, starting 3 days after the STZ injection. At the end of the study, all animalswere sacrificed. Testis tissue and blood samples were collected for the assessment of sperm parameters, andfor biochemical and histopathological analysis. Naringenin treatment significantly decreased the levels ofelevated tissue TBARS (thio-barbituric acid) and increased the superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase andglutathione peroxidase (GPx) enzyme activities in the testis tissues. The naringenin-treated rats in the diabeticgroup showed an improved histological appearance, sperm parameters, and serum testosterone levels, alongwith a decrement of terminal dUTP nick end-labeling (TUNEL) detected program cell death and a reducedover expression of TGF-β1, IL-1β in Sertoli cells and Leydig cells. These results suggest that naringeninis a food supplement potentially beneficial in reducing testicular damage in diabetic rats by decreasing theoxidative stress related to programmed cell death