Effect of ligustrum fruit extract on reproduction in experimental diabetic rats.
OBJECTIVE
To study the effect of ligustrum fruit on spermatogenesis and blood gonadal hormones in diabetic rats.


METHODS
Experimental diabetes was induced in male Wistar rats with streptozotocin. Ligustrum fruit extract was given by gastric gavage at a dose of crude drug 30 g x kg(-1) x d(-1) for 110 days. The serum gonadadotropic hormones and testosterone were determined on d 60 and testicular histology examined on d 110.


RESULTS
In the control diabetic rats, the seminiferous tubules were dilated and the spermatogenic cells irregularly arranged. Spermatogenesis was arrested with the number of spermatids highly reduced and spermatozoa not observed. In the treated rats, all types of spermatogenic cells were practically normal. The serum luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and testosterone levels were higher in the treated than in the control rats, but the difference was insignificant.


CONCLUSIONS
In experimental diabetic rats, ligustrum fruit extract protects the damaging effect of experimental diabetes on spermatogenesis.
Liaoning Provincial Diabetes Treatment Center, Shenyang, China.
S L
SL
Feng
S H
SH
Li
Y
Y
Wang
C C
CC
Chen
B
B
Gao
D000818:Animals; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000097:blood; D012739:Gonadal Steroid Hormones / Q000097:blood*; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008516:Medicine, Chinese Traditional; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013091:Spermatogenesis / Q000187:drug effects*; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood
D012739:Gonadal Steroid Hormones; D010936:Plant Extracts; D013739:Testosterone; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone