ABSTRACT
Aims: The study was designed to investigate the testiculo protective effects of ethanolic roots extract of Pseudocedrela kotschyi on alloxan-induced testicular damage in diabetic rats. Study Design: Experimental diabetes using animal models. Place and Duration of Study: Department of Anatomy, College of Medicine, Lagos State University, Ikeja, Lagos, Nigeria, between January, 2013 and May, 2013. Methodology: Twenty male rats were divided into four groups: Group I consisted of nondiabetic rats that received only the vehicle; group II-IV was injected with a single dose of alloxan (ALX) of 150 mg kg-1 intraperitoneally; groups III and IV were given ethanolic roots extract of Pseudocedrela kotschyi orally, 3 days after the ALX administration, at daily doses of 250 and 500mg kg-1 respectively for a period of 30 days. After 4 weeks of treatments, all the rats were sacrificed. Results: Administration of 150 mg kg-1 of alloxan to male rats induced diabetes and significantly reduced the body and testicular weights, testosterone levels, sperm count and motility, significantly increased the glucose level and decreased the levels of antioxidant enzymatic and non-enzymatic markers such as glutathione (GSH), catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and while the level of malondialdehyde (MDA) was significantly increased. By contrast, rats given the ethanolic roots extract of Pseudocedrela kotschyi had significantly increase (p<0.05) in body weight gain, whereas the glucose levels significantly improved (p<0.05) in treated diabetic male rats. In addition, this extract improved the reproductive system of the diabetic male rats by significantly increasing the testis and epididymis weights, testosterone levels, sperm count and motility, reduced testicular GSH, CAT, SOD, GPx and significantly decreasing MDA.The extract had no deleterious effects and testicular cytoprotection damaged by ALX. Conclusion: We concluded that the treatment with the ethanolic roots extract of Pseudocedrela kotschyi could reverse the adverse effects of ALX-diabetes on reproductive system of male rats which exhibits antihyperglycemic and fertility activities.