title: [Protective effect of L-carnitine combined with sildenafil on the reproductive endocrine function of diabetic male rats].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the protective effect of L-carnitine (LC) combined with sildenafil on the reproductive endocrine function of male rats with diabetes mellitus (DM).
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 40 male SD rats were randomly divided into five groups, group A taken as normal controls, and groups B, C, D and E made into DM models by injection of streptozotocin at 65 mg/kg. Then the rats in groups A and B were treated with normal saline, C with sildenafil at 5 mg per kg per d, D with LC at 300 mg per kg per d, and E with sildenafil at 5 mg per kg per d plus LC at 300 mg per kg per d, all via gastric gavage for 6 weeks, followed by determination of the levels of testosterone (T), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH) in the serum of the rats.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After 6 weeks of treatment, the T, FSH and LH levels were (25.25 +/- 2.67) nmol/L, (5.78 +/- 0.61) IU/L and (625.21 +/- 43.45) ng/L in group A, (9.63 +/- 1.71) nmol/L, (1.98 +/- 0.42) IU/L and (479.89 +/- 27.62) ng/L in group B, (18.98 +/- 3.07) nmol/L, (5.08 +/- 0.33) IU/L and (586.57 +/- 31.72) ng/L in group C, (16.18 +/- 2.65) nmol/L, (4.63 +/- 0.30) IU/L and (540.78 +/- 25.52) ng/L in group D, and (23.65 +/- 2.66) nmol/L, (5.59 +/- 0.48) IU/L and (621.53 +/- 36. 40) ng/L in group E. The three parameters were significantly lower in B than in the other four groups (P < 0.01), and so were they in C and D than in A and E (P < 0.05), but showed no significant differences either between C and D (P > 0. 05) or between A and E (P > 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Six-week medication of either sildenafil or LC alone could increase the levels of T, FSH and LH in the serum of DM rats, but the combination of the two had an even more obvious increasing effect, which indicates a still better protective effect on the reproductive endocrine function of diabetic male rats.
authors.affiliation: Center for Healthy Birth and Care, Nanjing General Hospital of Nanjing Military Region, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210002, China. shizhaorong@163.com
authors.forename: Zhao-Rong
authors.initials: ZR
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.forename: Xue-Jun
authors.initials: XJ
authors.lastname: Shang
authors.forename: Ning
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.forename: Xu-Xin
authors.initials: XX
authors.lastname: Zhan
authors.forename: Xin-Yi
authors.initials: XY
authors.lastname: Xia
authors.forename: Ying-Xia
authors.initials: YX
authors.lastname: Cui
authors.forename: Yu-Feng
authors.initials: YF
authors.lastname: Huang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002331:Carnitine / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism*; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000097:blood; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D010879:Piperazines / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011687:Purines / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D000068677:Sildenafil Citrate; D013450:Sulfones / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D010879:Piperazines; D011687:Purines; D013450:Sulfones; D013739:Testosterone; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone; D000068677:Sildenafil Citrate; D002331:Carnitine