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Testicular oxidative stress and apoptosis status in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats after treatment with rooibos (Aspalathus linearis), honeybush (Cyclopia intermedia), and sutherlandia (Lessertia frutescens) infusions
Authors: Temidayo S. Omolaoye, Shantal Windvogel, Stefan S. du Plessis
Number of views: 172
Objective: To investigate the testicular oxidative stress and
apoptosis status, as well as the sperm functional parameters in
streptozotocin (STZ) induced diabetic rats following treatment with
rooibos (Aspalathus linearis), honeybush (Cyclopia intermedia) and
sutherlandia (Lessertia frutescens) infusions.
Methods: Diabetes was induced by injecting fourteen-week-old
adult male Wistar rats (250-300 g) with a single intraperitoneal
injection of STZ (45 mg/kg body weight). Fifty rats were randomly
divided into five groups: the vehicle group received 0.1 M citrate
buffer, the diabetic control group received 45 mg/kg STZ, the
diabetic+rooibos group received 45 mg/kg STZ + 2.0% rooibos,
the diabetic+honeybush group received 45 mg/kg STZ +
4.0% honeybush, and the diabetic+sutherlandia group received
45 mg/kg STZ + 0.2% sutherlandia. Rats were sacrificed 7 weeks
after induction of diabetes mellitus. The testes and epididymides
were harvested and weighed after induction. Spermatozoa were
retrieved from the cauda epididymis for motility, concentration,
and morphology analysis, and the testis was used for all
biochemical assays. Oxidative stress was determined by measuring
malondialdehyde levels, catalase, and superoxide dismutase
activities, while apoptotic biomarkers were evaluated by Western
blotting assays.
Results: After induction of diabetes, rats in the diabetic control
group, diabetic+rooibos group, diabetic+honeybush group, and
diabetic+sutherlandia group presented with significantly elevated
blood glucose levels as compared with the vehicle group (P<0.001).
Rats in the diabetic control group had a reduction in sperm
progressive motility, while rats in the diabetic+rooibos group and
the diabetic+sutherlandia group displayed an increase in progressive
motility as compared with the diabetic control group. The diabetic
control animals showed a 40.0% decrease in sperm concentration
when compared to the vehicle group, and there were no significant
differences in sperm kinematic and speed parameters between the
groups. In addition, the percentage of morphologically normal
spermatozoa was increased by 13.0%, 16.0%, and 15.0% after
treatment with rooibos, honeybush, and sutherlandia, respectively
and the rats in the diabetic+infusion groups also displayed an
increase in superoxide dismutase activity when compared to the
diabetic control group.
Conclusions: Rooibos, honeybush and sutherlandia infusions may
partly alleviate diabetes-induced sperm function impairment by
reducing oxidative stress.