title: [Protective effect of total flavonoids of herba epimedii on testis degeneration in diabetic mice].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To observe the protective effects and investigate the possible mechanism of total flavonoids of herba epimedii (TFE) on diabetic testopathy in mice.
  
  
  METHODS
  Diabetic animal model was produced by a single injection of alloxan ( 70 mg/kg, i.v.) in mice. The mice were randomly divided into 3 groups (n = 10): control group, model group and TFE group (100 mg/kg, p.o.), administrated for 8 weeks continuously. The level of serum testosterone and blood glucose were measured after 24 hours in the last administration. Detect the specific biochemical indicators of testis: superoxide dismutase (SOD), malondialdehyde (MDA). Meanwhile, the morphology of testis was observed under light microscope by HE and MASSION dyeing. Immunohistochemistry was employed to detect the level of matrix metalloprotein (MMP)9.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared with control group, glucose and the content of MDA in testicular tissues increased while the levels of serum testosterone and SOD decreased remarkably in model group. Detection of pathology showed that the diameters of seminiferous tubules, various grades of spermatogenic cell decreased and collagen fibrosis hyperplasia in testicular tissues, the expression of (MMP9) were decreased in model group. These alterations were significantly improved in TFE group (P < 0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  TFE ameliorated the alterations of testis inalloxan-induced mice through promoting the testosterone release, anti-oxidation and improving the expression of MMP9.
authors.affiliation: College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou 310014, China.
authors.forename: Jie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.affiliation: College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou 310014, China.
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Gong
authors.affiliation: Basic Medical College, Guiyang College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Guiyang 550002, China.
authors.forename: Gao-Yu
authors.initials: GY
authors.lastname: Xie
authors.affiliation: Pharmacology Department, College of Chemistry and Cheimical Engineering, Hu'nan University, Changsha 410082, China.
authors.forename: Hao-Ran
authors.initials: HR
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou 310014, China.
authors.forename: Min-You
authors.initials: MY
authors.lastname: Qi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000473:pathology*; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005419:Flavonoids / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D008315:Malondialdehyde / Q000097:blood; D020780:Matrix Metalloproteinase 9 / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D008813:Mice, Inbred ICR; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000097:blood; D013737:Testis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology*; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D005419:Flavonoids; C046314:epimedii flavone; D013739:Testosterone; D008315:Malondialdehyde; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase; D020780:Matrix Metalloproteinase 9; C501830:Mmp9 protein, mouse