The effects of Commiphora mukul extract on spermatogenesis and testosterone levels in male diabetic rats

Abstract

Objective: The strong antioxidant activity of <i>Commiphora mukul</i> prompted us to conduct the present study to explore whether treatment with <i>C. mukul</i> extract (CME) would have any protective influence on sperm parameters, testosterone levels, and plasma glucose levels in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats.Methods: Male Wistar rats were randomly divided into four groups: control, control animals treated with CME, diabetic animals, and diabetic animals treated with CME. CME extract (300 mg/kg) was administered for 60 days by daily gavage. Diabetes was induced by an intraperitoneal injection of 50 mg/kg STZ. The epididymal sperm count, weight, motility, morphology, viability, and serum testosterone and glucose levels were determined.Results: In the diabetic animals, CME decreased blood glucose levels (<i>p</i><0.05), increased the total sperm count (<i>p</i><0.05), and decreased the proportion of sperm with abnormal morphology (<i>p</i><0.05). Diabetes reduced sperm motility (<i>p</i><0.001), and CME supplementation partially reversed this effect of diabetes (<i>p</i>=0.003). Furthermore, in diabetic animals, CME decreased the proportion of immotile sperm (<i>p</i><0.001). In rats, diabetes caused a significant decrease (<i>p</i><0.05) in serum testosterone levels (F[3, 28]=3.283, <i>p</i>=0.035), but treatment of diabetic animals with CME increased serum testosterone levels.Conclusion: The present study demonstrated that C. mukul possesses proandrogenic activity and exerts a beneficial effect on sperm parameters in diabetic rats.