Background and Aim: Diabetes can cause sexual dysfunction including spermatogenic disorders in the diabetic patients. The aim of the present study was to investigate the antioxidant effects of garlic extract in diabetic mice.
Materials and Methods: Diabetes was induced by multiple low-dose streptozotocin injections (40 mg/kg/day for 5 consecutive days), in male C57BL/6 mice (15-20 gr body weight). After induction of diabetes, the mice were divided into 4 groups: group 1 (normal control group); group 2 (diabetic control group); group 3
(treatment with garlic extract 200 mg/kg for 35 days) and group 4 (treatment with garlic extract 400 mg/kg for 35 days). Mice were euthanized on the 35
th day and serum testosterone levels were estimated. Testes and epididymis were removed for sperm evaluation and measurement of nitric oxide (NO) levels and total antioxidant capacity (TAC).
Results: Garlic treatment significantly improved semen parameters and increased serum level of testosterone (p<0.05). Aside from reducing the elevated tissue nitric oxide level, garlic increased total antioxidant capacity in testis tissue samples.
Conclusion: This study showed potent antioxidant effect of hydro-alcoholic garlic extract on the testes of mice against type 1 diabetes -induced oxidative stress.
Keywords: Type 1 diabetes, Garlic, Spermatogenesis, Nitric oxide, Total antioxidant capacity.
Received: Nov 21, 2016
Accepted: May 13, 2017
