Effect of Metformin Against the Nicotinamide-Streptozotocin Induced Sperm Abnormalities in Diabetic Male Wistar Rats
Syed Imam Rabbani¹, Kshama Devi¹* and Salma Khanam1Department of Pharmacology,Al-Ameen College of Pharmacy, Opp. Lalbagh, Main Gate, Hosur Road, Bangalore- 560 027 India.
2Department of Pharmacognosy, Al-Ameen College of Pharmacy, Opp. Lalbagh, Main Gate, Hosur Road, Bangalore- 560 027 India.
Corresponding Author E-mail: devikshama@gmail.com
Abstract: Oxidative stress in type-2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is the major cause for the infertility in male diabetic patients. In this study, the role of Metformin (Met-5, 50 and 500 mg/kg, po for 4 weeks) was evaluated against the reproductive damage induced by nicotinamide (230 mg/kg, ip) and streptozotocin (STZ-65 mg/kg, ip) in experimental T2DM male Wistar rats. The reproductive toxicity was evaluated by determining the caudal sperm shape abnormality, sperm count and weight of the testis. Further, serum lipid peroxidation (LPO), glutathione (GSH), glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and blood glucose levels were tested to find the relationship between oxidative stress, hyperglycemia and injury to the male reproductive cells. Administration of Met at 500 mg/kg significantly (P<0.01) minimized the sperm abnormalities and increased (P<0.05) the weight of the testis compared to the diabetic rats. Met (500 mg/kg) treatment also reduced the LPO level (P<0.05) and increased (P<0.01) the GSH and GPx levels besides exhibiting anti-hyperglycemic effect (p<0.001) compared to the diabetic animals. Met at 50 mg/kg prevented (P<0.05) the sperm shape abnormality and increased the (P<0.05) the GSH level along with a anti-diabetic effect (P<0.001), however, the lower dose of Met (5 mg/kg) did not alter the NA-STZ mediated changes in the diabetic state. The results indicated that the antioxidant property of Met could be responsible for preventing the hyperglycemia mediated sperm abnormalities in the diabetic condition.
Keywords: Metformin; anti-diabetic; sperm shape abnormality; sperm count; antioxidant Back to TOC